Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist, manages to gain entry to the 1976 British Open Golf Championship qualification round despite being a complete novice.

The heart-warming true story of Maurice Flitcroft, who entered the 1976 Open despite never playing a round of golf before. The extraordinary story of an ordinary man, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is an uplifting and moving comedy drama about pursuing your dreams and shooting for the stars, no matter what hand you're dealt.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN tells the remarkable true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator and optimistic dreamer from Barrow-in-Furness who, with the support of his family and friends, managed to gain entry to the 1976 British Open qualifying, despite never playing a round of golf before. With pluckiness and unwavering self-belief, Maurice pulls off a series of stunning, hilarious and heartwarming attempts to compete at the highest level of professional golf, drawing the ire of the golfing elite but becoming a British folk hero in the process. Starring Academy Award® Winner Mark Rylance as Maurice, Academy Award® Nominee Sally Hawkins as his wife Jean and BAFTA nominee [link=nm0406975 as his nemesis Mackenzie. The extraordinary story of an ordinary man, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN is an uplifting and moving comedy drama about pursuing your dreams and shooting for the stars, no matter what hand you're dealt.

Maurice Flitcroft is a crane operator at a shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, England. After never having played a round of golf in his life and with an estimation of his golf abilities that far exceeded them, he applies to play in the 1976 British Open. To his surprise, his application is accepted. In the opening round he shoots 121, the highest round of golf at a major tournament. This is his (largely true) story.—grantss