Genesis Scottish Open

Kurt Kitayama, Jamie Donaldson and Brandon Wu finished the Genesis Scottish Open with superb Sunday charges to secure qualifying spots for The 150th Open.

Three places were up for grabs at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick for the three leading players in the top 10 who were not already exempt before the action gets underway at St Andrews.

And Kitayama ensured he will make his third consecutive Open appearance after shooting a final-round 66 to surge up the leaderboard and finish second behind Xander Schauffele.

Six birdies from the American saw him move to the top of the leaderboard but a bogey at the 17th proved costly as already-qualified Schauffele claimed the title by one stroke on seven-under.

Yet the 29-year-old’s second-place finish was still good enough to continue his run of consecutive Open appearances, having also played golf’s original major in 2019 and 2021.

Kitayama will be joined at St Andrews by fellow American Brandon Wu and Welshman Jamie Donaldson after they both fired 67s to finish in a four-way tie for sixth with already-qualified Cameron Tringale and U.S Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick on three-under.

Donaldson last played The Open at Royal Troon in 2016, 10 years after making his debut in the 2006 Championship at Royal Liverpool, but is back for his seventh appearance.

He made five birdies and two bogeys on Sunday to climb the leaderboard and book his return to the Old Course, where he finished T49 when The Open was last played in 2015.

Wu enjoyed a similar final day rise thanks to his own 67, which included four birdies and one bogey, and will contest his second Open after making his debut at Royal Portrush in 2019.

The 25-year-old former Stanford University student won the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at Fairmont St Andrews by three strokes three years ago for his maiden Open appearance.

But he left his qualification even later this time around, with a bogey from higher-ranked compatriot Alex Smalley on the last hole dropping him out of contention and handing Wu the final spot on offer at The Renaissance Club.