Chris Kirk

A four-time winner on the PGA Tour who secured his place at St Andrews by coming joint fifth at March’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Three spots were up for grabs as part of The Open Qualifying Series, but winner Scottie Scheffler and joint runners-up Billy Horschel, Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland were already exempt.

His last victory on the circuit was seven years ago during a spell that took him into the world’s top 20 and earned a Presidents Cup debut, but he then fell as low as 522nd while taking an indefinite break from the sport.

On his return he won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020, then began last year with a joint second place behind Kevin Na at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Kirk played alongside Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson and Horschel at the 2007 Walker Cup in Northern Ireland, with Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett on the Great Britain and Ireland team.

The second leading individual at the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy World Amateur Team Championship, he then won the 2011 Viking Classic, 2013 McGladrey Classic, 2014 Deutsche Bank Championship and 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational. Also in 2014, he finished second in the FedEx Cup play-off series behind Horschel.