The Open Championship is decreasing the age restrict exemption to 55 for winners of the Claret Jug this yr and past, half of some tweaks to its exemption classes introduced Wednesday.
The Open modified its age restrict from 65 to 60 in 2010, and it now shall be 55 for anybody successful at Royal Troon and in future years.
It’s not more likely to have a dramatic impact. Tiger Woods, at age 48, will nonetheless have an exemption to play for 12 extra years. Phil Mickelson, who gained at Muirfield in 2013, shall be 54 this yr at Royal Troon however will be capable to play till he’s 60. Ditto for John Daly, who shall be 58 at this yr’s Open. He can proceed enjoying till 60.
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Different previous champions now age 55 embody Paul Lawrie, the 1999 winner at Carnoustie, and Darren Clarke, who gained in 2011 at Royal St. George’s.
Additionally among the many adjustments is The Open taking the main 5 gamers from the Worldwide Federation Rating — the highest gamers from the cash lists of the Japan, Asian, Australian and South African excursions, plus the next-highest participant on the planet rating from these excursions.
That gives a path this yr for Andy Ogletree, now with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League, who gained the Asian Tour Order of Advantage final yr. The PGA Championship additionally has supplied spots from the Worldwide Federation Rating.
The Open nonetheless consists of the highest 30 from the Race to Dubai on the European tour, securing a spot for Adrian Meronk, who joined LIV Golf and has fallen out of the highest 50 of the world rankings, and the highest 30 from the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour.
It has added an exemption for the brand new Africa Beginner champion, to go along with spots for the Latin America Beginner and Asia-Pacific Beginner champions.
Nonetheless in impact is the highest 50 on the planet rating by Might 26. LIV Golf’s request to be a part of the Official World Golf Rating was rejected final fall. It has solely 4 gamers within the prime 50 — all already exempt for the Open — and this week mentioned it has withdrawn its OWGR utility.
LIV Golf gamers not exempt for The Open embody Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia. Their finest path into golf’s oldest championship can be both the Italian Open (a part of the Open Qualifying Sequence and one week after a LIV Golf occasion in Tennessee) or closing qualifying on July 2.
The R&A additionally mentioned New Zealand’s Michael Hendry was granted a medical exemption after he was unable to participate final yr following his leukemia prognosis, which pressured him out of golf for a number of months.
The 152nd Open Championship is July 18-21 at Royal Troon in Scotland.
The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
