Maurice Flitcroft is of course Immortal (even though he died last year) for his tenacity for entering the Open by various means. But less well known is a certain Walter Daniecki.
Daniecki, a mail-sorter from Milwaukee, had been a pro for three years but wasn’t attached to a club, and hadn’t played in a single tournament. Deciding to aim high, he saved for a year to pay the fare, entered the 1965 Open at Birkdale, and found himself with the task of two qualifying rounds at the testing Hillside course next door. A swift 108 in the first round, followed by a 113 in the second left him 81 over par. Ouch.
He kept the day job.