Pro golfers are used to jet-setting across the world to ply their trade, but usually there’s a calm travel day, then a practice day or two before jumping back into competition. Not during Open qualifying season.
Last month gave us the Longest Day in Golf for the U.S. Open final qualifiers, and July has brought us the same thing on the other side of the Atlantic: Final Qualifying day for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Tuesday’s 36-hole qualifier came on the heels of LIV Golf playing in Dallas Sunday evening, which meant players were forced to jump on a jet and travel thousands of miles overnight just to get settled in the U.K. and prepare for a day-long romp for a last-ditch chance at the Open.
Fourteen LIV players, a bunch of former Ryder Cuppers and some big-name amateurs signed up across four sites, with five players advancing from each. We’ve got the full list of qualifiers below.
Dundonald Links, SCOTLAND
Big name: Lee Westwood
LIV’s 52-year-old vet pulled a bunch of fans out to the Ayrshire links to watch him finish as medalist. Westwood hasn’t played a major in three years, so look for fans to follow closely along when he gets to Portrush as well.
Lee Westwood will be at Royal Portrush after posting -7 in Open Final Qualifying at Dundonald.
A different class today. pic.twitter.com/kqlnjK9mOq
— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) July 1, 2025
Lesser name: Connor Graham (amateur)
The 40th-ranked am in the world advanced through a two-man playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole. It’ll be his first Open and undoubtedly the biggest stage of his young golfing career.
What a moment for Connor Graham. A birdie on the first play-off hole earns him a place in the 153rd Open.
His dad, who followed the group all day, couldn’t watch.
Superb embrace afterwards 👏 pic.twitter.com/34GDnOxpRw
— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) July 1, 2025
Others advancing: Daniel Young, Angel Hidalgo, Jesper Sandborg
Notables who failed to qualify: Peter Finch, Jamie Donaldson, Adrian Meronk (WD)
Burnham and Berrow, ENGLAND
Big name: Harry Hall
Hall was one of the few players in Final Qualifying who actually competed on the PGA Tour last week, in Detroit. His T13 finish there portended a nice day in England, his home country, where 67-67 got him through without a problem.
Lesser name: Justin Walters
The medalist at Bernham and Berrow is one of the founders of Birdies 4 Rhinos, a non-profit that donates to the efforts against poaching of rhinos. How cool is that? We’ll be cheering for him to make some donation-delivering birdies at Portrush.
Others advancing: Jacob Skov Olesen, OJ Farrell, Frazer Jones (amateur)
Notables who failed to qualify: Anirban Lahiri, Chris Wood, Caleb Surratt, Jinichiro Kozuma (WD)
Royal Cinque Ports, ENGLAND
Big name: Dean Burmester
The LIV golfer is ranked among the top 100 in the world by DataGolf, but had to play his way in to the Open Tuesday. He shot 64 in the second round and torched the rest of the field by four.
Lesser name: Curtis Knipes
This is what makes it an Open. Truly open. Knipes isn’t ranked in the top 1,600 in the world. He makes cuts here and there on the European Tour’s developmental tour. But he shot a pair of 69s to advance, which was better than a number of bigger name players below.
Others advancing: Nathan Kimsey, Sebastian Cave (amateur), John Axelsen
Notables who failed to qualify: David Puig, Erik Van Rooyen, Luke Poulter (amateur), Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Peter Uihlein, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
West Lancashire, ENGLAND
Big name: Lucas Herbert
Lesser name: Richard Teder
Teder is the most unlikely player in the field, in part because he’s now the first player from Estonia to play in an Open, but also how he got there. Teder hooped his approach on the third playoff hole for a walkoff eagle, booking the final spot in the Open field.
Moments like this define Final Qualifying.
An incredible eagle for amateur golfer Richard Teder to secure a spot at The 153rd Open. pic.twitter.com/ljOVfXu6oV
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 1, 2025
Others advancing: Sampson Zheng, George Bloor, Oliver Linedell
Notables who failed to qualify: Shubankar Sharma, Tommy Morrison (amateur), Harold Varner III, Andy Ogletree, Alex Fitzpatrick (WD), Sam Horsfield (WD)
Sean Zak
Golf.com Editor
Sean Zak is a senior writer and author of Searching in St. Andrews, which followed his travels in Scotland during the most pivotal summer in the game’s history.
