16 Irish to bid for spots at Royal Portrush in Final Qualifying for The Open
Graeme McDowell of Smash GC hits his shot from the 16th tee during the final round of LIV Golf Virginia at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club on Sunday, June 08, 2025 in Gainesville, Virginia. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)
Irish golf will have 16 players bidding for just 20 spots in The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush at four Final Qualifying venues in the UK next week.
There are five spots on offer at each venue and Graeme McDowell will bid to secure his place in his home town Open at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent next Tuesday, July 1.
Niall Kearney tees it up at Burnham and Berrow, while Liam Nolan will be hoping lightning strikes twice at Dundonald Links in Scotland, where he qualified last year.
He will have several compatriots alongside him as Amateur Championship runner-up Gavin Tiernan joins fellow amateurs Finlay Eager and Caolan Rafferty, as well as Rowan Lester, Brendan McCarroll, Dermot McElroy, Keith Shannon and Ruaidhri McGee at the Scottish links.
Paul McBride, who won Regional Qualifying at The Island on Monday, will be joined at West Lancs by Conor Purcell, Alex Maguire, Ronan Mullarney and reigning AIG Irish Amateur Close champion Thomas Abom.
Five Irishmen are already in the field for Royal Portrush — former Open champions Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, and LIV Golf’s Tom McKibbin.
Purcell will have a chance to clinch his place in this week’s Italian Open in Tuscany, where the leading two players, not already exempt, who make the cut will qualify.
Seamus Power is not entered for Final Qualifying but may have a chance to make it if he makes the field for the Genesis Scottish Open and finishes in the top three not already exempt.
Power, who plays this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, is entered for next week’s John Deere Classic as he looks to make the top 100 in the FedExCup standings who will be fully exempt next season.
The West Waterford man is currently ranked 118th.
The 153rd Open — Final Qualifying draw
(a) denotes amateur
Burnham & Berrow: Niall Kearney
Dundonald Links: Rowan Lester, Brendan McCarroll, Gavin Tiernan (a), Dermot McElroy, Keith Shannon, Liam Nolan, Ruaidhri McGee, Finlay Eager (a), Caolan Rafferty (a)
Royal Cinque Ports: Graeme McDowell
West Lancashire: Conor Purcell, Paul McBride, Alex Maguire, Ronan Mullarney, Thomas Abom (a)
