Emiliano Grillo

Winning the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge at the end of May lifted Grillo from 80th in the world to 42nd on the very day that the top 50 earned exemptions to Royal Liverpool.

It ended a seven-and-a-half-year wait for his second victory on the circuit, the first also coming in a play-off at the Frys.com Open. He tied for 12th at Royal Troon in 2016 and again at Royal St George's in 2021, while last year he booked his place at St Andrews on 3 July with a tie for second at the John Deere Classic, where three spots were up for grabs as part of The Open Qualifying Series.

He almost won the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, making a 65-foot eagle putt on the last after his approach over the lake had clattered into a hospitality tent and rebounded onto the green, but Stephen Gallacher pipped him by one.

After ending that year with a six-stroke victory at the Argentina Open he received an invitation to the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open and lost a five-way play-off to Alex Cejka.

At the Charles Schwab Challenge this year he was two clear on the final tee, but double-bogeyed it before beating Adam Schenk at the second extra hole.

Grillo finished T6 at The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.