With just one week until the 152nd Open at Royal Troon, golf legends are descending on Scotland as the historic Angus course hosts the Senior Open for the third time and first time in eight years.
Qualifying events were held on Monday at Dundee’s Downfield Golf Club, Carnoustie’s Panmure Golf Club, Monifice Golf Course and Montrose Golf Course 1562, providing hundreds of hopefuls with a final chance to make the cut, with 24 players eventually qualifying for the 38th Championship.
Alex Čejka is the defending champion after winning the title last year by defeating Pádraig Harrington in a play-off at Royal Porthcawl.
How do players qualify for the Senior Open?
There are 17 different exemption categories available to qualify for the Senior Open, the third major of the Legends Tour season, followed by 24 spots available in early July qualifying tournaments at four Scottish courses and Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Check out the 2024 Senior Open sponsored by Rolex players below:
The Senior Open presented by Rolex
Category 1 – Senior Open former champions 65 years of age or younger
- Russ Cochrane
- Paul Broadhurst
- Miguel Angel Jimenez
- Stephen Dodd
- Darren Clarke
- Alex Seca
Category 2 – Former Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and British Open champions 65 years of age or younger
- Jose Maria Olazabal
- Vijay Singh
- Mike Weir
- Patrick Harrington
- Angel Cabrera
- John Daly
- Lush trees
- Sean Michael
- Ye Yang
- Retief Goosen
- Michael Campbell
- Justin Leonard
- Paul Lowry
Category 3 – Top 60 players on the Legends Tour career money list
- Colin Montgomery
- Thomas Bjorn
- Robert Carlson
- Raphael Jacqueline
- Paul McKinley
- Bernhard Langer
- Ian Woosnam
- Nicholas Fass
- Richard Green
- Bradley Dredge
- Philip Price
- Thomas Levitt
- Jeev Milkha Singh
- Peter O'Malley
- Ricardo Gonzalez
- Simon Khan
- Gary Orr
- Scott Hender
- Peter Lowry
- James Kingston
- Mark McNulty
- Peter Fowler
- Peter Baker
- Jamo Sanderling
- Joachim Hageman
- Mark Blair
- Jean-François Remesi
- Roger Chapman
- Jean van de Velde
- Miguel Angel Martin
Category 4 – Top 60 Players on PGA Tour Champions All-Time Money List
- Jerry Kelly
- Choi Kyung-joo
- Fred Fink
- Stuart Appleby
- Jeff Sluman
- Stephen Ames
- Jeff Maggot
- Chad Campbell
- Kirk Triplett
- Bob Estes
- Tom Pernis Jr.
- Joe Durant
- Scott McCarron
- John Sund
- Paul Goydos
- Tim Herron
- Rod Pampling
Category 5 – Top 20 players on the 2022 Triton Tour Order of Merit (not exempt as of deadline)
- Philip Archer
- Michael Johnson
- Greg Hutcheon
- Keith Horn
- Greg Owen
- Emanuele Canica
- Michael Long
- Robert Coles
- Andrew Leiter
- Thomas Gogler
- Paul Streeter
- Jason Norris
- Paul Eales
- Van Phillips
- Lionel Alexander
- Philip Golding
- David Shackleday
- Christian Seval
- Andrew Marshall
Category 6 – Top 20 players in the Charles Schwab Cup standings (not exempted by deadline)
- Dickie Pride
- Paul Stankoski
- Mark Hemby
- Rob Labrits
- Tim Petrovich
- Charlie Wei
- Shane Birch
- Tim O'Neill
- Glenn Day
- Scott Parel
- Matt Gogel
- David Blanchot
- David Mackenzie
- Wesley Short Jr.
- Arjun Atwal
- Jason Bourne
Category 7 – Top 15 and Tied for 15th at the 2023 Senior Open
- Euan Mackintosh
- Steven Alker
- Mario Tiziani
- John Kemp
- Tom Gillis
Category 8 – Legends Tour Official Championship Winners and PGA Tour Winners since the 2022 Senior Open
- Patrick Sheran
- Brett Quigley
- Scott Dunlap
- Doug Barron
- Clark Dennis
- Addison Da Silva
Category 9 – Official tournament winners of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, including official co-sanctioned tournament winners, age 50
- Scott Drummond
- Ted Purdy
- Greg Chalmers
- Jason Gore
- Michael Lundberg
- Stephen Allen
- Joe Ogilvie
- Daniel Chopra
- Christopher Riley
- Eric Axley
- Heath Slocum
Category 10 – Former Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup players 50 years and older
- Bu Weekley
- Brett Wetterich
Category 13 – 2018-2023 PGA Senior Championship Champions
Category 14 – The top two players in the top 10 of the 2022 Japan PGA Senior Tour Order of Merit (other players are not exempt)
- Bayard Maxan
- Fujita Hiroyuki
Category 15 – The top four players in the current Triton Tour Money List and the player tied for fourth place as of Monday, July 22 (no other players are exempt)
Category 17 – 2024 Senior Amateur Champion
Category 19 – 2024 European Senior Men's Amateur Championship