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Golf Monthly

Sport

Jonny Leighfield

Sergio Garcia And Bryan Bros Among Big Names To Miss Out In Open Final Qualifying

Sergio Garcia Final Qualifying Open Burnham Berrow Anirban Lahiri Dean Burmester George Bryan Luke Poulter Matt Wallace Richard Mansell

Main image of Sergio Garcia with a driver in his left hand and inset images of George Bryan (top middle) and Matt Wallace (top right).

The Open Championship is the final men's Major of the year and Tuesday's Final Qualifying event was many player's last chance to earn a tee time.

There were four sites hosting a 70-man competition over 36 holes - Royal Cinque Ports, Burnham & Berrow, West Lancashire and Dundonald Links.

Each was filled with high-quality golfers chasing one of just five places at The Open. As a result, there was an awful lot of disappointment among the sprinkling of joy. Below are just some of the big names and notable faces to have missed out.

SERGIO GARCIA

Sergio Garcia had famously appeared in every Open Championship between 1998 and 2022 but missed out in both 2023 and 2024.

Following a T34th last year at Royal Portrush, the legendary Spaniard will be forced to sit out and watch on from the sidelines in 2026, too, after his attempt to sail through Final Qualifying hit the rocks.

Garcia had signed for a 68 in round one at West Lancashire, even managing an eagle at the par-5 16th, but went out in 40 (+4) to start round two and was unable to complete the outlandish rescue mission following a 35 coming home.

Post-round, Garcia told reporters he was not feeling well in the afternoon and appeared to blame his nausea on the food available in player dining.

He said: “I had a little bit of food there in the players’ lounge and it did not sit well with me. I only ate the lasagne.

"I thought maybe have a little pasta and stuff, but for some reason it didn’t sit well with me and I just felt nauseous the whole front nine. In the afternoon, I felt like I was going to vomit pretty much on every hole.

“I thought about stopping after nine. But I thought, 'well, let’s play a couple more and see if I get something going,' but unfortunately it didn’t happen.”

MATT WALLACE

Matt Wallace had played in each of the past six Open Championships, aside from 2022, but the well-traveled Englishman won't be teeing it up in 2026 after retiring 10 holes into his second round of Final Qualifying at West Lancs.

The five-time DP World Tour winner was one-over with eight holes to play but took no further part in the process and will now fly back to Illinois to compete in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic this week. Just days prior, he finished second at the DP World Tour's Italian Open.

WESLEY & GEORGE BRYAN

Peter Finch and Wesley Bryan chat on the green (Image credit: Getty Images)

It was oh so close for Wesley Bryan in Final Qualifying, but the man who had Peter Finch on his bag for his trip around West Lancs fell just one stroke short of a playoff.

The former PGA Tour pro was well-placed to kick on after a morning 70 (-2) but his three-under 67 in the afternoon saw him miss out in the most painful circumstances.

Meanwhile, George followed up his own first-round 70 with a level-par afternoon score to leave himself just outside of the top-20.

MARC LEISHMAN

Among those who came so close but yet so far was Marc Leishman. The Australian - who was a runner-up at the 2015 Open - finished T10th at Burnham & Berrow thanks to scores of 66 and 71.

The LIV man ended at least three strokes shy of his target and will look back on his afternoon total with a fair amount of frustration, one might assume.

BRANDON ROBINSON THOMPSON

There's close and then there's Brandon Robinson Thompson close. The Englishman fired a first-round 68 and needed a birdie heading down the 36th hole to force his way into a playoff at Burnham & Berrow.

However, he couldn't quite manage it and ended up on seven-under in a tie for sixth after a second-round 67. Brutal.

OLLIE SCHNIEDERJANS

Ollie Schniederjans has been operating as a LIV Golf reserve once more in 2026 but hasn't played an awful lot on the PIF-backed circuit, largely featuring on the Asian Tour instead.

His chances of reaching The Open sat with any of the Open Qualifying Series tournaments on the Asian Tour this term or at Final Qualifying, but rounds of 72 and 68 today left him outside of the top-20 at the low-scoring Burnham & Berrow.

Consequently, he will have to wait until next year to make his second Open appearance after teeing it up for the first time in 2015.

KIERAN VINCENT

Kieran Vincent has been playing well across the Asian Tour, DP World Tour and Challenge Tour this season, but that good form didn't help him into The Open in 2026.

The Zimbabwean opened with a 69 at Burnham & Berrow but was unable to capitalize in the afternoon, finishing well below the eight-under cut line.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI

A part of Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC in the LIV Golf League, Anirban Lahiri is one of the bigger names who took part in Final Qualifying, but his journey to the season's final Major ends here.

Lahiri carded a one-under 70 in the morning at Burnham & Berrow before treading water at the scoreable layout in south-west England to lose ground on those in front.

RICHARD MANSELL

The winner of last year's Porsche Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour, Richard Mansell has struggled for form this term and was unable to correct that with a safe passage through to The Open.

He's played in three Open Championships previously, but Mansell - who signed for a 71 in the morning - retired seven holes into his second round at Burnham & Berrow after starting the afternoon with three bogeys and a birdie.

JAKOB SKOV OLESEN

Jacob Skov Olesen won The Amateur Championship in 2024 and made the cut in both Open Championship starts since with a best of T60th. However, the Dane won't be at Royal Birkdale in 2026.

He carded a two-over 73 in the morning at Burnham & Berrow before deciding enough was enough and leaving the premises before round two began.

ANGEL HIDALGO

Among those at Dundonald to count themselves particularly unlucky at missing out was Angel Hidalgo.

The box-office Spaniard carded consecutive rounds of 71 in Scotland to finish in a share of sixth on two-under. A birdie at the par-5 last would have been good enough for a playoff spot, but it was no bueno in the end.

GRANT FORREST

Another DP World Tour winner saw his chances of competing at The Open end on Tuesday, with 2025 Nexo Championship winner Grant Forrest falling just a couple of shots short of a potential playoff at Dundonald Links.

The Scot responded really well to a morning 74 (+2) by posting a second round 69, but his one-under total left him inside the top-10 only.

ROBERT ROCK

Robert Rock's quest for a ninth Open Championship appearance ended in disappointment on Tuesday after rounds of 73 and 75 left him four-over in Final Qualifying at Dundonald.

The Englishman has played a few Clutch Tour events in 2026, but the 49-year-old would probably be the first to admit his best days are likely behind him now.

CAMERON DAVIS

2026 has not been Cam Davis' year, with the Australian having missed nine of 12 cuts on the PGA Tour. Unfortunately, his poor form continued at Open Final Qualifying as well.

Rounds of 77 (+5) and 73 (+1) left the two-time PGA Tour winner on six-over at Dundonald and well away from the required number needed for a second-ever Open appearance.

RYDER COWAN (A)

Ryder Cowan earned low amateur honors at the US Open very recently alongside Jackson Koivun, but he wasn't quite able to carry that momentum over to Scotland and Open Final Qualifying.

The American amateur flew all the way over to the UK for only 15 holes, posting 40 through his first nine and then making par on only three of his back nine.

He posted an NR at Dundonald, and he wasn't the only one. Callum Tarren played just 16 holes in round one before doing the same.

THOMAS DETRY

Thomas Detry has played really well since signing for the LIV Golf League ahead of the 2026 season, and the 4Aces GC pro has a best of T13th to his name at The Open, too.

But he won't have the chance to improve his best result this year after a second-round 74 at Royal Cinque Ports ruined his good work from the morning, where a three-under 69 left the Belgian in an excellent spot.

DEAN BURMESTER

Another of LIV's big names opted to retire from Open Final Qualifying today. Dean Burmester shot 71 in the morning at Royal Cinque Ports before calling time on his second round with only one hole left. Branden Grace did likewise.

Burmester had gone out in 32 strokes on the English layout but two bogeys in a row, followed by a triple-bogey 7 on the 15th, proved too much for the two-time LIV winner and he walked in.

THRISTON LAWRENCE

Thriston Lawrence was leading The Open in 2024 at a very wet Royal Troon in Scotland - the third of four consecutive appearances in the final men's Major.

Yet, that run will end in 2025 after rounds of 70 and 72 at Royal Cinque Ports saw him end six strokes short of nabbing an Open exemption this year.

LUKE POULTER (A)

It was a fine fightback by Luke Poulter - son of legendary Ryder Cup star Ian - at Royal Cinque Ports on Tuesday, but there was no miracle to be seen on the links layout.

Poulter turned in a disappointing three-over score in the morning session before rectifying some of the damage later on via a one-under 71. Still, it wasn't to be and the promising amateur will have the chance to try again next year.

DANNY WILLETT

The 2016 Masters champion has played in 11 Open Championships throughout his career, but none since 2023 after his latest attempt at Final Qualifying proved unsuccessful.

Willett shot scores of 71 and 69 at West Lancashire but still fell at least four strokes short of picking up a path through to Royal Birkdale.

RICHARD TEDER (A)

The Estonian amateur proved to be the story of last year's Final Qualifying when he holed out to snatch the final spot at West Lancs. There was no Cinderella story in 2026, however, despite a strong start.

Teder produced a brilliant 67 in round one but fell away with a 74 later on, leaving him in a tie for 22nd and well outside the cut line.

JOE DEAN

Joe Dean missed out in a playoff at West Lancs as Matthew Jordan secured his place in The Open Championship at his expense.

Dean followed up a first-round 70 with a superb 66 to make it into the three-man shoot-out, but he couldn't quite cross the line first and will maintain hopes of a third Open appearance next year.