Qualification

The push to secure the final place in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale will see 12 players given the opportunity to compete in the Last-Chance Qualifier on Monday 13 July.

The Last-Chance Qualifier is a new event being introduced as part of a series of enhancements intended to elevate the experience of attending The Open by providing fans with drama and excitement as golfers compete to earn a single, coveted spot in golf’s original Championship.

The stroke play event will start on Monday morning and be contested over 18 holes at Royal Birkdale with golfers earning their place in the field based on eligibility criteria which are consistent with the existing qualification process for The Open.

The field will be determined in order using the following criteria:

• The leading two non-exempt players in the Official World Golf Ranking as published on Monday 6 July.

• The runner-up of The Amateur Championship, provided they are still an amateur on Monday 13 July.

• Players who missed out in a play-off at Final Qualifying.

• Players who finished one position behind those who secured a place at Final Qualifying.

• Players who were tied for a qualifying place in various events included as part of The Open Qualifying Series (excluding Scotland) but did not qualify due to a lower position in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Chief Championships Officer at The R&A, “The Last-Chance Qualifier will provide fans with the opportunity to watch high quality, competitive golf which will generate drama and intrigue as players compete to earn the final place in the Championship. It is an exciting addition to The Open and fans still have time to secure tickets to attend the Last-Chance Qualifier via the official website.

“We have also developed eligibility criteria for the Last-Chance Qualifier which stays true to the traditions of The Open and our qualification process. Every golfer who tees it up at Royal Birkdale will have earned the right to do so and we look forward to seeing which player emerges from the field in the Last-Chance Qualifier to seal their place in the Championship.”

Fans will also be able to enjoy a special celebration of golf when the inaugural Heroes Classic takes place as a short-format team challenge starting on the 1st hole of Royal Birkdale on the afternoon of Tuesday 14 July.

Teams will be made up of a select number of players in the field for The Open and invited guests, who continue to inspire people of all ages and background worldwide to play golf and reflect the values and traditions that make the sport so popular.

The R&A once again experienced huge demand from fans in the ticket ballot for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale meaning that almost all tickets across the week are sold out.

Increased capacity for next year’s Championship has resulted in a limited number of tickets being available to attend the Last-Chance Qualifier and Heroes Classic, while fans can still enhance their experience of attending Monday to Sunday of Championship week through “Ticket Plus” – an upgrade that includes general admission plus access to a private area featuring exclusive food and drinks, indoor/outdoor seating, big screens, private restrooms, a £25 food voucher and a private bar.