Sport Book Service | The Open 2018: Jhonattan Vegas arrives at course by helicopter 50 minutes before tee time due to visa nightmare

JHONATTAN VEGAS arrives at Carnoustie in a helicopter just 50 minutes before his tee time after having a nightmare with visa issues.

The PGA Tour star had to use borrowed clubs in the Open's first round after his madcap dash to the course from Glasgow Airport.

Jhonattan Vegas takes a selfie from inside the helicopter he used for a last-minute dash to the OpenCredit: Instagram

Vegas filmed his desperate journey in an Instagram story after originally fearing he would have to give up his spot in the field.

The problems started when Vegas, 33, discovered his UK visa was due to expire on the same day he was to fly to the Open - exactly a week ago.

Then a "mechanical problem" with UPS meant there was a delay in his passport being delivered and bad weather in New York delayed his Tuesday night flight.

Yesterday evening Vegas tweeted that he was on his way to the UK. He was still in Toronto around 9pm BST last night.

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The PGA Tour star was still in Glasgow Airport just a couple hours before his Open tee timeCredit: Instagram

Jhonattan Vegas got lucky with his desperate helicopter ride that allowed him to make his Open tee off timeCredit: Instagram

Jhonattan Vegas shared this image of the runway from inside his 'copterCredit: Instagram

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Three hours before his 10.31am tee time he shared a photo of the 'copter he used to get to Carnoustie from Glasgow.

And just one hour before he was to begin his challenge he was still filming from inside the aircraft.

Club specialists at Mizuno were quickly able to build Vegas a set of makeshift irons.

And experts at TaylorMade cobbled him together some new woods.

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Vegas practised with them quickly before his tee time, while also battling a lack of sleep and no knowledge of a course he has never seen before.

Asked how he was going to play, he said: "I'm going to go out there and play with freedom."

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