The Open Championship format and qualification

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The Open Championship qualification was first introduced in 1907, and is the process that a player goes through to qualify for The Open Championship. The Open Championship is the oldest golf competition in the world, and generally regarded as one of the most prestigious. [1] The qualifying structure is designed to reduce more than 2,500 entrants on five continents, to a field size of 156 competing in the tournament. [2]

Contents

In the modern era, the main way players qualify is by an exemption due to their performance in major golf tours, major tournaments, or their position in the official world golf rankings. For those who are not exempt, they can qualify by performing well in the Open Qualifying Series of international sanctioned tournaments, or via local qualifying in the UK. [3] [4]

The format of the final tournament was originally 36 holes played on a single day, but has evolved to the current format of four days of 18 holes, with the lowest scoring golfers cut after the first 36 holes.

Current qualifying process

Players can qualify one of four ways, an exemption, via the Open Qualifying Series (OQS), via local qualifying, or if the field size has not reached 156, being one of the highest rated players in the official golf rankings that is not already qualified.

Exemption qualifiers

Around 65% of the field is exempt from qualifying. Not all those eligible for entry will compete (e.g. older previous Open winners, and injured players).

The current criteria for an exemption is governed by the following rules: [4]

  1. Previous Open Champions aged 55 or under on the final day of the tournament from the 2024 tournament onward (Each year a number of past champions choose not to compete).
    Champions from 2023 and prior are grandfathered until each champion turns 60.
  2. Winners of selected tournaments (for the number of previous years shown in parentheses):
    The Open (10), Masters (5), PGA Championship (5), U.S. Open (5), The Players (3), BMW PGA Championship (3), Open de Argentina (1), Japan Open (1), Diamond Cup Golf (1), The Senior Open (1).
  3. Top 10 and ties from the previous year's Open Championship.
  4. Top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 21 (the Open is Week 29).
  5. Top finishers in the previous season of selected golf tours:
    European Tour's Race to Dubai (30), PGA Tour's FedEx Cup (30), Japan Golf Tour (2), PGA Tour of Australasia (1), Sunshine Tour (1).
  6. Performance in the current year on selected golf tours for Week 25:
    European Tour (top 5 not already exempt, within the top 20), PGA Tour (top 5 not already exempt, within the top 20), Japan Golf Tour (top player not already exempt).
  7. Current holders of selected amateur titles (if they are still amateurs):
    Amateur Champion, U.S. Amateur Champion, European Amateur Champion, Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion, Mark H. McCormack Medal.

Open Qualifying Series

Around 22% of the field qualify via the Open Qualifying Series. It was introduced in 2014 and replaced international qualifying events run by the Open. Qualifying is available to the leading players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top n and ties, in around twelve events run by several international golf tours. The Open Series Qualifying events since 2019 are: [3]

LocationTournament 2019 2021
SpotsTopSpotsTop
Australia ISPS Handa Australian Open 310310
Africa South African Open 310310
Singapore SMBC Singapore Open 412412
United States Arnold Palmer Invitational 310310
Japan Mizuno Open 412n/a
Morocco Trophée Hassan II n/an/a
Canada RBC Canadian Open 310n/a
Korea Kolon Korea Open 28n/a
Spain Andalucia Valderrama Masters 310n/a
United States Rocket Mortgage Classic 28n/a
United States Travelers Championship n/an/a
Ireland Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 310n/a
Scotland Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open 310n/a
United States John Deere Classic 15n/a

Note: 2021 tournament criteria affected by COVID-19

Local and Final qualifying

Currently 12 players (8% of the field) qualify through final qualifying in the United Kingdom. [5]

Local Qualifying

Local qualifying begins with 15 events, of 18 holes occurring on a single day just over three weeks before the Open Championship. It is open to those who meet any of the following criteria:

  • Male professional golfer.
  • Male amateur golfer whose playing handicap does not exceed 0.4 (i.e. scratch).
  • Male amateur golfer who has been within World Amateur Golf Ranking listing 1–2,000 during the current calendar year.

A week later, the best performers then progress to final qualifying, where there are four events of 36 holes occurring on a single day, with three qualifiers from each event. [3]

Final Qualifying

In addition to the best performers at local qualifying, players who meet the following criteria are able to compete in final qualifying:

Note: Any qualifier via an amateur performance must still have amateur status

Alternates

If the field size has not reached 156, then the highest ranked players not already qualified are offered a spot in the Open. [6]

Current format

History of qualification and format

Qualifying was first introduced from 1907, except 1910–1911, where a 36 hole cut was made instead. 1926 was the first year where there was both a cut and qualifying, and this has been the situation ever since. Qualifying generally happened the day before or shortly before the Open, and everyone was required to qualify until 1962. In 1963 exemptions from qualification began, mainly for past champions, but this has now expanded to cover a multitude of achievements and most of the field now qualify by exemption. In the 1980s, the R&A was concerned that its process was not adequately allowing for players which played on multiple tours, and so actively brought about what is now known as the Official World Golf Ranking to use as part of the exemption process. [10]

In 2004 international qualifying was introduced, which meant that players did not have to travel to the UK to participate in qualifying. This was replaced in 2014 by the Open Qualifying Series, which gave qualifying spots to the best performers in existing global golf events.

The biggest change to the format of the tournament was in 1892 when the tournament was expanded from 36 holes to 72 holes. Another notable change in the rules was making it mandatory to use the "bigger" ball (as was used in America) in 1974.

YearEditionField sizeEntryFormatCutPlayoff
2023151th156Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions aged 60 and under. Local qualifying. Open Qualifying Series. Total of 156 qualify.72 holes over 4 days. 18 holes a day. Days standardised as Thursday to Sunday. Play in groups of 3 in first 2 days. Leaders go off last after 36 holes.Cut after 36 holes, top 70 and ties.Three-hole playoff followed by sudden death.
2022150th156
2021149th156
2020
2019148th156
2018147th156Four-hole playoff followed by sudden death.
2017146th156
2016145th156
2015144th156
2014143rd156
2013142nd156Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions aged 60 and under. Local qualifying. International Qualifying. Total of 156 qualify.
2012141st156
2011140th156
2010139th156
2009138th156
2008137th156
2007136th156Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions aged 65 and under. Local qualifying. International Qualifying. Total of 156 qualify.
2006135th156
2005134th156
2004133rd156
2003132nd156Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions aged 65 and under. Local qualifying. Total of 156 qualify.
2002131st156
2001130th156
2000129th156
1999128th156
1998127th156
1997126th156
1996125th156
1995124th159Cut after 36 holes, top 70 and ties. Those within 10 shots of the leader not cut.
1994123rd156Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions under 65. Local qualifying. Total of 156 qualify.
1993122nd156
1992121st156
1991120th156
1990119th156
1989118th156
1988117th153Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions under 65. Local qualifying. Total of 153 qualify.
1987116th153
1986115th153
1985114th153Cut after 36 holes, top 80 and ties. Cut after 54 holes, top 60 and ties. Those within 10 shots of the leader not cut.18 hole playoff followed by sudden death.
1984113th156
1983112th151Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions. Local qualifying. Total of 150 qualify.
1982111th150
1981110th153
1980109th151
1979108th15272 holes over 4 days. 18 holes a day. Days standardised as Wednesday to Saturday. Play in groups of 3 in first 2 days. Leaders go off last after 36 holes.
1978107th155
1977106th156Cut after 36 holes, top 80 and ties. Cut after 54 holes, top 60 and ties.
1976105th155
1975104th153
1974103rd154
1973102nd153
1972101st15372 holes over 4 days. 18 holes a day. Days standardised as Wednesday to Saturday. Leaders go off last after 36 holes.
1971100th150
197099th134Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions. Local qualifying. Total of 130 qualify.Cut after 36 holes, top 80 and ties. Cut after 54 holes, top 55 and ties.
196998th130Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including all previous Open champions. Local qualifying. Playoff for those tied for final places. Total of 130 qualify.Cut after 36 holes, top 70 and ties. Cut after 54 holes, top 45 and ties.
196897th130
196796th130Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including past 10 Open champions. Local qualifying. Playoff for those tied for final places. Total of 130 qualify.Cut after 36 holes, top 55 and ties.
196695th130
196594th13072 holes over 3 days. 18 holes on the first 2 days, 36 on the 3rd day. Days standardised as Wednesday to Friday. Leaders go off last after 36 holes.Cut after 36 holes, top 45 and ties.
196493rd120Exemption from qualifying for the leading players including past 10 Open champions. Local qualifying in two separate competition. Two courses near the Open venue are used but not the Open venue itself. Playoff for those tied for final places. Total of 120 qualify.
196392nd12036 hole playoff.
196291st119Local qualifying. Maximum of 120 players qualify. Ties for 120th place did not qualifyCut after 36 holes, maximum of 50 players. Ties for 50th place do not make the cut.
196190th108
196089th74Local qualifying. Maximum of 100 players qualify. Ties for 100th place did not qualify.
195988th90
195887th96
195786th96
195685th9672 holes over 3 days. 18 holes on the first 2 days, 36 on the 3rd day. Days standardised as Wednesday to Friday.
195584th94
195483rd97
195382nd91
195281st96
195180th98
195079th93Cut after 36 holes., maximum of 40 players. Ties for 40th place do not make the cut.
194978th96
194877th97
194776th100
194675th100
1945Local qualifying. Maximum of 130 players qualify. Ties for 130th place did not qualify.Cut after 36 holes, maximum of 44 players. Ties for 44th place do not make the cut.
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
193974th129
193873rd120Cut after 36 holes, maximum of 40 players. Ties for 40th place do not make the cut.
193772nd141Local qualifying. Top 140 and ties qualify.Cut after 36 holes, top 40 and ties.
193671st107Local qualifying. Top 100 and ties qualify.Cut after 36 holes, top 60 and ties.
193570th109
193469th101
193368th117
193267th110
193166th109
193065th112
192964th109Cut after 36 holes, top 60 and ties, and those within 14 strokes.
192863rd113Cut after 36 holes. Those 15 or more strokes behind the leader are excluded from the final day.
192762nd108
192661st117Regional qualifying used. Total of 101 and ties qualify at one of three venues (southern, central, northern).
192560th83Local qualifying using two courses. Generally the Championship course is used together with a nearby course. Top 80 and ties qualify.72 holes over 2 days. 36 holes on each day.No cut.
192459th86
192358th88
192257th80
192156th85
192055th82Separate qualifying for amateurs and professionals. Amateurs qualify at the Open venue (total of 8 places with the Amateur Champion receiving automatic entry). Professionals qualified using two courses in Surrey. Top 72 and ties qualify.
1919Qualifying over two days using two local courses. Exactly 100 players qualify. 18-hole playoff the following day for those tied for final places.
1918
1917
1916
1915
191454th100
191353rd65Players play 36 championship course holes on one of three days. Top 20 and ties qualify on each day.
191252nd62
191151st226No qualifying.72 holes over 4 days. 36 spread over 3 days, 36 on the 4th day.Cut after 36 holes, top 60 and ties make the cut.
191050th21072 holes over 3 days. 18 holes on the first 2 days, 36 on the 3rd day.
190949th6936 championship course hole qualifying in 2 groups. 30 from each group qualify. At least 30 pros in each group.72 holes over 2 days. 36 holes on each day.No cut.
190848th6536 championship course hole qualifying in 2 groups. 30 from each group qualify.
190747th67
190646th181No Qualifying72 holes over 3 days. 18 holes on the first 2 days, 36 on the 3rd day.Cut after 36 holes. Those 15 or more strokes behind the leader are excluded.
190545th148
190444th144Cut after 36 holes. Those 20 or more strokes behind the leader are excluded.
190343rd12472 holes over 2 days. 36 holes on each day.
190242nd112
190141st100
190040th81
189939th98
189838th76
189737th88No Cut.
189636th63
189535th73
189434th94
189333rd72
189232nd60
189131st8436 holes over 1 day.
189030th39
188929th48
188828th50
188727th40
188626th42
188525th60
188424th28
188323rd34
188222nd40
188121st22
188020th30
187919th47
187818th27
187717th24
187616th34
187515th18
187414th32
187313th27
187212th8
1871
187011th20
186910th14
18689th12
18678th14
18667th16
18656th12
18645th16
18634th14
18623rd8
18612nd18
18601st8Invitational

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