Kyle Stanley

In 2017 earned himself a return to The Open by ending five years without a victory in the Quicken Loans National. Four places were on offer as part of The Open Qualifying Series and Stanley beat Charles Howell at the first hole of a play-off.

Qualified for Carnoustie by making it all the way through the FedEx Cup play-off series and secured his place at Royal Portrush by the same route. Reached a career-high 26th in the world when he was runner-up to Justin Thomas at the 2018 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational only two months after he lost a play-off to Bryson DeChambeau in the Memorial tournament.

Winner of the Ben Hogan Award as America’s top college player in 2009 and a Walker Cup player alongside Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler at Royal County Down in 2007, his 2012 Phoenix Open success completed a dramatic fortnight. At the previous week’s Farmers Insurance Open he surrendered a seven-stroke lead on the final day, running up a triple bogey eight at the last and losing a play-off to Brandt Snedeker, but he then came from eight behind Spencer Levin in the final round at TPC Scottsdale.