LIV Golf’s Graeme McDowell
LIV Golf’s Graeme McDowell and Holywood star Tom McKibbin are among the 16 Irish players entered for Final Qualifying for The Open at Royal Troon next week.
They are among the 288 players set to battle for at least 16 places in the field at Royal Troon at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire next Tuesday, July 2.
The qualifiers will tee it up at the famous Ayrshire links alongside the likes of former Open champions Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry.
Séamus Power is not entered for Final Qualifying but he can still win a spot in The Open through the Open Qualifying Series at the John Deere Classic (2 spots) or the Genesis Scottish Open (3 spots).
McKibbin can also make it if he’s among the top five non-exempt players in the top 20 in the Race to Dubai following next week’s BMW International in Munich.
McKibbin, who is 20th in the Race to Dubai and on course to win one of ten PGA Tour cards, is eighth in the list of non-exempt players for The Open heading into this week’s Italian Open, where the leading two players not already exempt and who make the cut will earn a place at Royal Troon.
The winner of this week’s European Amateur Championship can also secure a place in The Open.
Seven Irish players – Max Kennedy, Seán Keeling, Liam Nolan, Matthew McClean, Thomas Higgins, Hugh Foley and Jack Murphy – are in action in the event, which began at The Scandinavian in Denmark today.
Final Qualifying for The Open, July 2
Irish entrants
Dundonald Links:
Jake Whelan (a)
Max Kennedy (a)
Tom McKibbin
Dermot McElroy
Conor Purcell
Matthew McClean (a)
Liam Nolan (a)
Royal Cinque Ports:
Graeme McDowell
Jack Hume
West Lancashire:
Gary Hurley
Alex Maguire
Gerard Dunne (a)
Liam Grehan
Burnham & Berrow:
Jack Madden
Colm Moriarty
Niall Kearney