The final qualification for the Open Championship held this summer at Royal Porthush produced the usual twists, turns and dramatic stories.
A total of 288 players compete for 20 attractions at the prestigious Irish venues, offering five locations in each of the four qualified venues: Sealanders, Port Royale, Burnham and Benoe and Dundonard Links.
Those who experienced this include former world number one Lee Westwood, form-based PGA Tour star Harry Hall, and multiple DP World Tour champions Dean Burtst and Lucas Herbert.
However, several well-known people were eligible for bidding to compete in the 2005 final, which took place from July 17 to 20.
We looked at the five stars, like the still inappropriate Tiger Woods, and would not te around the royal portrait.
1. GraemeMcDowell
- Age: 45
- Open appearance: 14
- Best open finish: T5 (Royal Lytham, 2012)
- Top world ranking: fourth
Missed a Royal Portrait in his Northern Ireland home, which will be particularly deep for former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell.
When the course was held in 2019, G-MAC did experience that feeling and ended with No. 57.
McDowell will have confidence in booking his place after finishing second in Liv Golf Virginia last month.
He put him in good shape with 70 and 2 in the first lap of Royal Five Ports in Kent, but the second round of 73 made McDowell shy with three shots.
2. IanPoulter
- Age: 49
- Open appearance: 20
- Best Open Finish: Second (Royal Burkedale, 2008)
- Top world ranking: fifth
Another former Ryder Cup hero in Europe, Ian Poulter, was disappointed with his former teammate McDowell.
Poulter was the open runner-up in 2008 and an integral part of the five winning Ryder Cup teams, ending with a 143-shot finish at Royal Cinque Ports after McDowell finished 72-71.
This means that Postman missed out on Royal Porthush’s layoffs in 2019, but has not participated in a major since 2022.
Ian’s son Luke looks to qualify for his first open title, and the Poulter family has almost redeemed.
But Poulter Jr. three standards are enough to see him pass.
3. Chris Wood
- Age: 37
- Open appearance: 9
- Best Open Surface: T3 (Turnberry, 2009)
- Top world ranking: 22nd
Wood was once the prestigious PGA champion in Wentworth, who once hit back to back in the Open Championship game.
The Bristolian also played in the 2016 Ryder Cup, where he tried his luck near Burnham and Bello in Somerset.
He performed well, shooting a pair of 69 seconds, but there were two shots from the magic number.
Wood has had some tough years, but recently flashed some forms on the seventh time Turkish Airlines opened.
4. David Pug
- Age: 23
- Open appearance: 1
- Best Open Finish: MC (Troon, 2024)
- Top World Ranking: No. 77
The 23-year-old Spaniard, touted as a potential superstar, laid off his college career at Arizona State to compete in the Liv Tour.
In recent seasons, he has won two championships on the Asian Tour and played in five majors, including at Troon (MC)’s 2024 Open and this year’s PGA Championship (T60).
He looked like he was sailing towards the Royal Portal as he led the first round at Cinema Royal Port through the under 64 flash.
However, Puig returned home in the second round in 40 rounds and signed 6 points and 78 points, and the two missed twice.
5. Erikvan Rooyen
- Age: 35
- Open appearance: 3
- Best open finish: T17 (Carnoustie, 2018)
- Top World Ranking: No. 40
South Africa won the championship in the 2019 DP World Tour before winning two championships on the PGA Tour in the 2021 Barracuda Championship and the 2023 Global Technology Championship.
He also made the top 20 in the first two games of the open championship.
These included tied for 20th at Royal Porthush in 2019, where he finished 12th midway with a 70-68 record.
But in his last 11 global starts, six missed cuts suggest a lack of clarity in Van Rooyen’s game, with his total of more than 2 in the Royal Cinque Ports’ competition.
Van Rooyen will eventually deny his fourth public appearance with 15-point three-tides seven times in the second round.
Read more: Battle of Links: Which Best Royal Portrait or Royal County Falls?
