The 12 Players Fighting for the Last Spot at Royal Birkdale

What Is This All About? (ELI5)

Imagine a giant, famous golf contest called The Open—it’s like the biggest playground tournament for grown-up golf players. This year, the final game is at a famous field called Royal Birkdale. But one last ticket to play is still up for grabs! To hand out that final ticket, the bosses created a special mini-tournament called the Last-Chance Qualifier. It’s the very first time they’ve ever done this (that’s what “inaugural” means).

Who Is Playing?

A total of 12 players will be competing for that final Royal Birkdale place. Among them are two interesting people:

• A former Amateur Champion (someone who, when younger, won a big contest for players who don’t get paid).
• A YouTube star (a person super popular on the internet for making fun golf videos).

How Did They Get to Play? (Numbered Steps)

None of these players just walked in. They had to follow rules made by a group called The R&A (the rule-makers for the tournament). Here’s how they earned their spot:

1. In December, The R&A announced special exemption criteria (fancy words for “rules that give you a free pass to play”).
2. Every player had to meet those rules—like having a special title or playing well in other games.
3. Because they met the rules, they were invited to the Last-Chance Qualifier on Monday morning to battle for the last spot.

Meet the Two Special Guys

• Aldrich Potgieter: He won The Amateur Championship in 2022 when he was only 17 years old! That’s like being the best kid golfer around. He is one of the 12.
• Wesley Bryan: He is one half of the popular “Bryan Bros” YouTube channel. He makes cool golf videos lots of people watch. He is also teeing it up (that means starting to play) on Monday morning.

The Full Field (All 12 Players)

Here is the complete list of players who will play in the qualifier. The letter (a) means they are an amateur (they don’t get paid to golf, they just love the game):

• Aldrich Potgieter
• Matti Schmid
• Matt Moloney (a)
• Joe Dean
• Sam Easterbrook (a)
• Adri Arnaus
• John Gough
• Angel Hidalgo
• Charles Huntzinger
• Andrew Wilson
• Wesley Bryan
• Frazer Jones (a)

Important Callout: The “(a)” next to Matt Moloney, Sam Easterbrook, and Frazer Jones shows they are amateur players. Everyone else is a professional (they earn money from golf). Also, remember this is the first ever Last-Chance Qualifier!

Summary

To wrap up: A brand-new Last-Chance Qualifier for The Open at Royal Birkdale will happen. Twelve players, including a past Amateur Champ (Aldrich Potgieter) and a YouTube star (Wesley Bryan), got in by meeting rules from The R&A set in December. They will play on Monday morning for the final spot. The full list of 12 is above, with three amateurs marked by (a).

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1: What is The Open?
A1: It’s one of the oldest and biggest golf tournaments in the world—think of it as the super bowl of golf, played on a different famous course each year.

Q2: What does “Amateur Champion” mean?
A2: An amateur is someone who doesn’t get paid to play sports. The Amateur Championship is a contest just for those unpaid players. Winning it is a huge honor!

Q3: Why is Wesley Bryan called a YouTube star?
A3: He is part of the “Bryan Bros” YouTube channel where he and his brother post fun, trick-shot golf videos that millions enjoy watching.

Q4: What is Royal Birkdale?
A4: It’s a famous golf course in England where this year’s Open will be held—like the stadium for the big match.

Q5: What does “inaugural” mean?
A5: It means “first ever.” So this Last-Chance Qualifier is the very first one they’ve ever held!