Wright won by three with rounds of 69 and 66 for a nine under par total of 135, with Hughes and Bunny sharing second spot and Bland chipping dead on the par five last for a birdie that knocked out four players waiting in the clubhouse on four under.

First round leader Nick Flanagan, the 2004 US amateur champion, had been three clear after an opening 66, but crashed to a 75.

Bland said: “I had no idea what everyone else was doing but I had an inkling that five under would be around the mark.”

One of Wright’s victories came in the New South Wales Open at Liverpool west of Sydney and he commented: “I’m aiming to make it a double. I’ve won at Liverpool in Australia and now I’ll try to do it at Royal Liverpool in Britain.”

He, Bland and Bunny will be making their British Open debuts, while Hughes will be playing for the fourth time.

His last appearance was at Carnoustie in 1999.

“This is a welcome change of fortune for me,” he said.

“I had a lot of personal stuff happening last year and that’s all behind me now. I’ll base myself in South Carolina and start trying to rebuild my career in the US. But knowing I’m already in the (British) Open helps me to plan ahead.”