GolfPlus July 2018 Digital Edition (July 2018) | Page 24
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OPEN
CHAMPIONSHIP
he 2018 Open Championship will be the 147th Open
Championship, held 19–22 July 2018 at Carnoustie Golf
Links in Angus, Scotland. It will be the eighth Open
Championship played at Carnoustie. To qualify the Open
Championship the players stand in the way of hopefuls
with ambitions of teeing it up at Carnoustie for The 147th Open as
they compete for the 12 places on offer at Final Qualifying. Three
qualifying spots will be available at four courses across the UK on
Tuesday 3 July, with Notts (Hollinwell), Prince’s, St Annes Old Links
and The Renaissance on hosting duties. Players who came through
the 13 Regional Qualifying events will be joined by leading players
without exemption for The Open for a 36-hole shootout at each
course. Here’s the lowdown on what awaits those golfers who want
to keep their dream of challenging for the Claret Jug alive, including a
look at the four qualifying sites.
Winner 2017: Jordan Spieth
Carnoustie
What is Final Qualifying?
Phil Mickelson
30 G o l f P l u s
JULY
2018
Only 156 players will have a chance to contest The
147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, with the
field largely consisting of the world’s leading players.
Past winners, such as last year’s Champion Golfer of
the Year Jordan Spieth, earn automatic exemption
– as does the top 50 on the Official World Golf
Ranking. But as its name clearly states, the oldest
and most prestigious major in golf also offers up
the opportunity for those not in the elite bracket to
make the start list. Final Qualifying is the last stage
of the process for non-Tour pros or amateurs with
a handicap of scratch or better, along with players
who did not meet the exemption criteria.