Marco Penge

Took the last of the four places up for grabs at the 36-hole Final Qualifying competition at Hollinwell on June 28, his level par aggregate good enough to book a first major championship start at St Andrews.

Went into the event 472nd on the world rankings, but only nine days after a second place finish on the European Challenge Tour in the Czech Republic. Had four rounds in the 60s there, but still finished four strokes behind Dane Martin Simonsen.

It took him to 10th on their rankings following as it did a fourth place in South Africa in March and joint eighth in Spain earlier in June.

In the qualifier a superb chip to two feet on the last spared him the agony of a play-off and Penge, winner of the Scottish stroke play title at 17 in 2015 and winner of the boys Order of Merit that season, said: “It’s a massive relief – playing an Open in St Andrews is always the one I’ve wanted to do.

"I had a knee operation in October and missed about seven months, but since returning results have just kept coming. Whatever happens now I can say I’ve played in a major.”