Andy Sullivan

Three times a European Tour winner in 2015 and became one of six rookies in Europe’s Ryder Cup side at Hazeltine.

He began it partnering Rory McIlroy, but it proved to be one of only two games for the former Walker Cup winner.

Captured a fourth Tour title last August, taking the English Championship at Hanbury Manor by a massive seven strokes.

He followed that with a tie for third at the BMW PGA Championship and was joint runner-up to Antoine Rozner in the Golf in Dubai Championship in December, but he had to wait until the week before The 149th Open for his call up to the Championship, coming in off the reserve list when Matthew Wolff withdrew.

After turning professional in 2011 he had to return to the European Tour qualifying school a year later, but then improved his money list position from 145th to 98th, 33rd and then eighth after capturing the South African Open in a play-off against Charl Schwartzel, the Joburg Open by two shots and the Portugal Masters by a nine-shot margin.

He also finished runner-up to McIlroy at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and on his return to Dubai three months later was second to Danny Willett at the Desert Classic.