It’s the most iconic tournament in golf and the Open Championship always has a special feel to it as the fourth and final Major of the year comes around.
There’s a huge field from all around the globe, and amateur players are given a few ways of earning the sports in the line-up.
So who are the amateurs chasing the dream of winning the Claret Jug? Let’s take a look…
Gordon Sargent (United States):
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The world No.1 amateur will be at Royal Troon after winning Mark H McCormack Medal for topping the men’s world amateur ranking for 2023.
A standout performer at Vanderbilt, he earned an invite to the 2023 Masters where he wowed seasoned PGA Tour pros with his huge hitting on the range.
He won the low amateur award at the 2023 US Open and then earned his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated system in June this year, but the 21-year-old has instead decided to return to college for his senior year.
Sargent, who went unbeaten in last year’s Walker Cup, will still be eligible to turn professional next summer following the NCAA Championship and will have full status until the end of the 2026 season.
Jacob Skov Olesen (Denmark)
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How he qualified: The Amateur Champion 2024
Jacob Skov Olesen made history at a breezy Ballyliffin this year as he became the first Danish player to win The Amateur Championship.
The Dane produced a front-nine blitz at the start of the second 18 holes of the 36-hole final against England’s Dominic Clemons to go 6Up before eventually earning a 4&3 success.
Not only did it win Olesen one of the most iconic amateur prizes in golf, but it also booked his place at Royal Troon for the first of three Major engagements that go along with winning The Amateur – as he’ll also play at The Masters and US Open next year.
Calum Scott (Scotland)
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How he qualified: Open Amateur Series winner
A beaten quarter-finalist at the 2024 Amateur Championship, Calum Scott went 2Up on eventual champion Jacob Skov Olesen with just four holes to play.
The Scot bogeyed the next three holes though and that collapse led to an agonising 1Up win for the Dane who would then go on to lift the trophy.
That disappointment will have been eased somewhat by Nairn native Scott getting a place at The Open…
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