05/07/2026
Almost 300 golfers arrived with the same dream, but only a handful walked away with invitations to one of golf's most prestigious championships. Final Qualifying for The Open turned into a tense day across four courses on June 30, where every shot carried enormous weight and every mistake could change a season.
Among the LIV Golf contingent, three players celebrated by the end of the marathon 36-hole challenge. Caleb Surratt, Peter Uihlein, and Josele Ballester all secured their places in the field for The Open after impressive performances at different qualifying venues.
Surratt continued what has quickly become a memorable season. Competing at Burnham & Berrow alongside fellow LIV golfers Anirban Lahiri and Marc Leishman, the 22-year-old posted rounds of 67 and 66 to finish at nine under par. His total earned him second place, just one stroke behind James Nicholas. It also marked his second successful major qualification in just six weeks after previously earning a place in the U.S. Open through a dramatic playoff, where he eventually finished tied for 63rd.
The young American couldn't hide his excitement afterward, sharing on social media that he was grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to making his first appearance at The Open at Royal Birkdale.
Peter Uihlein also kept his strong qualifying form alive. Playing at Royal Cinque Ports with Thomas Detry, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace, and Luis Masaveu, Uihlein recorded rounds of 66 and 69 to reach nine under. Although he finished three shots behind leader Bard Bjornevik Skogen, his score comfortably secured one of the available spots. After already qualifying for this year's U.S. Open, Uihlein has now booked places in both major championships through Final Qualifying, something LIV Golf noted had not been accomplished since Brandon Wu did it in 2019.
Josele Ballester completed the successful trio at West Lancashire. The 22-year-old Spaniard followed an opening 70 with a brilliant 65 to finish one shot behind Samuel Bairstow. Ballester, who made his Open debut in 2023, will now return after missing all three majors earlier this season. Sergio Garcia shared the course with him but narrowly missed out.
Not every LIV golfer enjoyed the same outcome. Marc Leishman, Luis Masaveu, Thomas Detry, Anirban Lahiri, and Sergio Garcia all fell short, while Dean Burmester and Branden Grace were unable to complete the event. Dustin Johnson had already withdrawn before qualifying began, ending his remarkable streak of 71 consecutive major appearances.
Garcia later revealed that an unexpected stomach issue disrupted his challenge. He explained that after eating lasagna, he felt nauseous throughout much of his second round and even considered stepping away before deciding to continue. His scores of 68 and 75 left him seven shots outside qualification, marking his third absence from The Open in the last four editions.
The former Masters champion remains determined to climb back into the world's top 50 rankings, believing that would allow him to avoid the demanding qualifying route in the future. For now, though, the spotlight belongs to three players who made the most of golf's toughest audition and earned their chance to shine on one of the sport's biggest stages.