The R&A has updated a number of its exemption categories ahead of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon this summer, including its past champion category and new ways to qualify.
Currently, players can qualify for golf's oldest Major in one of four ways - via one of many exemptions, through local qualifying, as one of the top-50 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking, or via the Open Qualifying Series (OQS) which takes place on every continent throughout the world in the months prior to the event.
Local qualifying is not finalized until early July - days before the Open begins - while it is a similar situation in terms of the OWGR.
Meanwhile, nine players have already qualified for the final men's Major of the year through the Open Qualifying Series:
- Dean Burmester, Darren Fichardt, Dan Bradbury (Joburg Open)
- Joaquin Niemann, Rikuya Hoshino, Adam Scott (Australian Open)
- David Puig, Jeunghun Wang, and Denwit Boriboonsub (Malaysian Open)
In terms of exemption categories, there are several - including past champions, Major winners from the last five years, medical, and holders of selected amateur titles.
But, in March 2024, the R&A updated and added to said categories, giving LIV golfers - many of whom had complained about effectively being excluded from the Majors - a slightly better chance of pegging it up in the biggest tournaments.
A freshly-introduced dispensation will now be offered to players competing on the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour, giving them the opportunity to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list. Many LIV players also compete on the Asian Tour to earn world ranking points, including in Macau next week where over 20 are in the field.
The leading five golfers as of the closing date of entries will be awarded places in The Open. Including the 2023 Order of Merit champion on each tour, Keita Nakajima, LIV Golf's Andy Ogletree, David Micheluzzi, and Ockie Strydom appear to have secured their respective tee times at Royal Troon.
The alteration is likely to be well received by LIV players, especially, after the 54-hole circuit's struggles to secure world-ranking points for its own tour through the OWGR.
As a result, several of its players have taken to competing on the Asian Tour in International Series tournaments - as a result of a strategic alliance involving LIV - in order to try and boost themselves up the ranking table.
Other changes made by the R&A include reducing the age that Open Champions can continue to compete from 60 down to 55 - this is effective from 2024 so past Open winners can still play until 60 but this year's champion will only be exempt until the age of 55.
Meanwhile, an exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added. It will be taken up this year by Altin van der Merwe after his victory in the inaugural championship at Leopard Creek last month.
And a medical exemption is being granted to Michael Hendry after he was unable to take his place in The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool last year due to serious illness.
