The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
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Rock currently lies 39th in the European Tour Order of Merit

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at St Andrews

Midlander Robert Rock was a comparative golfing unknown when he made his Open debut at St Andrews in 2005.

Now, five years on, the Staffordshire golfer is one of England's foremost players, lies 39th on Europe's money list and is even an outside Ryder Cup hopeful.

But it was his top-20 finish at Hoylake four years ago that made him realise that he can perform on the big stage.

"I proved to myself that week I can handle it," Rock told BBC Sport. "But I also realised I could have done better. It was a confidence boost.

"I'd had top-five finishes on the tour but to be out there playing in the late groups on a Saturday and a Sunday at the Open was tremendous experience.

"It made me realise I could cope with all the things that go with it. But it also makes your realise you have to get even better if you're to compete."

Carding 69 in both of the first two rounds at Royal Liverpool in 2006 and subsequently earning a tie for 16th proved enough to help Rock keep his European Tour card for the first time.

St Andrews is always a great place to come and I'm looking forward to it. The sun's out and I'm hoping for a good week Robert Rock

But it was not until last year that Rugeley-born Rock, who is attached to The Belfry and lives in the Staffordshire countryside close to Cannock, really made the big breakthrough.

Three runner-up finishes - including one at the Irish Open, where he lost in a play-off to Irish amateur Shane Lowry, but still pocketed the £500,000 winner's cheque - earned him a place in the top 30 of the European Order of Merit for the first time.

He ultimately finished 29th and he has maintained that form this year, with four top-five finishes, three of them consecutively in May and June.

And, although he missed the cut at last week's Scottish Open, Rock is confident of bettering the 67th-place finish he managed round the Old Course five years ago.

"I'm coming here with a game I like," said the 33-year-old. "When I played here in 2005, I was still going through the process of making changes to my swing.

"But I still learned a lot about the place that week and all the sorts of different shots you have to play here.

"I played all four rounds in 2005 and it wasn't a great finish but I've still got some good memories as it was my first Open.

"St Andrews is always a great place to come and I'm looking forward to it. The sun's out and I'm hoping for a good week."

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