Jack Buchanan

Jack Buchanan surged to a commanding victory at the 2026 Africa Amateur Championship, earning his place at The 154th Open in the process.

The South African won the championship, at Royal Johannesburg’s renowned East Course, by six strokes, ending the week with an impressive 21-under-par total of 267.

Buchanan will now make his Open debut at Royal Birkdale in July, teeing it up at a venue he has fond memories of visiting as a young golf fan.

“I believe the first Open that I went to was at Royal Birkdale in 2017 so to go back somewhere I was a kid watching not too long ago is going to be really special. Kevin Na gave me a golf ball that he got a hole-in-one with in a practice round. Rickie Fowler gave me a signed glove,” he said after his triumph in Johannesburg.

“My favourite golfer since I was a kid has been Rory McIlroy, so just to see him up close would be pretty cool. Obviously you have some of the South African names too.”