Qualifier talks drug addiction battle en route to making cut at US Senior Open

Chris Hockaday might not win the US Senior Open this week but the qualifier's story will likely be the best one you hear all week at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island.

Hockaday, 55, qualified for his second-ever US Senior Open this week and he has taken full advantage by making the halfway cut for the first time in his career with rounds of 69 and 72 to lie 1-over par in T47 heading into the weekend. 

He played in the US Senior Open last year but missed the cut, and he also competed at the 2019 SAS Championship on the PGA Tour Champions where he went on to finish T65.

The former mini-tour player currently looks on from 12 shots off the pace with Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita out in front on 11-under par.

Richard Green is one shot back in second, while English LIV Golf pro Richard Bland is a further two shots back alongside Steve Stricker. 

Lee Westwood, who made a bold LIV Golf claim earlier this week, looks on from eight shots back at 3-under par. 

VIEW LIVE US SENIOR OPEN SCORES

But quite frankly Hockaday is just delighted to still be able to fulfil his childhood dream by competing against the greatest senior players on Tour.

Hockaday openly admitted earlier this week that he battled drug and alcohol addiction throughout his 20s but then got clean by the time he was 34.

The American has now transitioned into helping families deal with similar challenges to the ones he faced in the late 90s. 

During Hockaday's interview where he reflects on his journey, which you can watch in full below, he discussed the difficulties he faced in not being able to forgive himself for his actions. 

But with the help of God and attending regular classes to battle his addictions, he overcame it all and eventually rediscovered all those amazing feelings and dreams that he once had as a kid, which was to one day play on Tour. 

Scroll below to watch Hockaday's interview...