Nineteen players from a starting field of 288 secured their places to challenge for the famed Claret Jug at events held at Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports, Royal Porthcawl and West Lancashire.

The number of places for Final Qualifying was increased from 16 to 19 with additional spots allocated to events at Royal Cinque Ports, Royal Porthcawl and West Lancashire based on a strength of field calculation carried out after all competing golfers had started the first round.

Local favourite Michael Stewart led the qualifiers at Dundonald to secure his debut in The Open after carding an excellent six-under-par second round 66.

The 33-year-old, who hails from nearby Irvine and plays on the European Challenge Tour, followed up on his opening round of 71 to make a late surge through the field with four birdies in his last five holes to finish on a five-under-par total, two clear of England’s Marco Penge.

The final two places were decided in a three-way play-off. Scottish-born West Australian Connor McKinney secured his place with a birdie on the second play-off hole (the 11th) and Graeme Robertson holed from almost 40ft to edge out his fellow Scot Craig Ross on the fifth play-off hole (the 11th again).

“To play in golf’s oldest championship as your first major and having grown up watching The Open – I have been to a few watching all the great names coming through and having been to St Andrews a bunch – is pretty special," McKinney said. "It’s something I have always dreamed of. You don’t really know when it’s going to happen, I guess. You have to envision it but it’s a pretty surreal feeling to be sure.


Royal Liverpool's par-4 14th hole. PHOTO: Getty Images.

“It’s a double whammy. It’s not easy. I managed to scrape a good enough round in the Regional Qualifying and then hung in all day today and got a few putts and did what I had to do.”

South African Martin Rohwer and Thomas Detry of Belgium each recorded rounds of 72 and 69 for a three-under-par total to claim the first two qualifying positions at Royal Cinque Ports.

Rohwer, 29, will make his major championship debut in The 151st Open whilst Detry, 30, will make his third appearance.

Rohwer’s compatriots Branden Grace, who shot a record low round 62 at Royal Birkdale in 2017, and Charl Shwartzel, whose best performance in The Open came at Royal Liverpool in 2014, also qualified on two-under. Joining them is Antoine Rozner, who will play in the Championship for the second time after qualifying on the same mark with two rounds of 71.

Laurie Canter led the qualifiers at Royal Porthcawl on eight-under-par, four shots clear of Brandon Robinson Thompson, who will make his debut in The Open after a first round 66 set the foundation for a second place finish.

Matthew Southgate fired in a last-gasp birdie to seal the third qualifying place on two-under-par, which will see the Englishman return to the venue in which he made his Open debut in 2014.

A play-off looked likely but Oliver Bekker’s double bogey at the last meant that Jazz Janewattananond and Oliver Farr secured the two remaining qualifying spots on one-under-par.

Perth's Connor Mckinney birdied the second play-off hole at Dundonald Links to secure a tee time at Hoylake. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Matt Wallace, Matthew Jordan, Kyle Barker, Alex Fitzpatrick and Tiger Christensen will be playing in The 151st Open after qualifying at West Lancashire.

Wallace led the way on 11-under-par, with Jordan and Barker shooting ten-under-par and Fitzpatrick and Christensen a shot further back on nine-under-par, three clear a pack of five players sat on six-under-par.

For Jordan, that means a dream Open appearance at his home club where he has been a member since the age of seven.

“It’s brilliant, I was just telling someone over there that I’ve been a member at Royal Liverpool since I was seven," Jordan said. "So it did matter more than the previous times I’ve tried to qualify, even though it’s brilliant, it has that sentimental value.

“Weirdly every time I play this course it seems to really suit me so when I saw it was announced I was really pleased.

“I’ve qualified and I don’t want to let this experience go to waste now. It’s an extra event and I want to be ready for it and do well.”