Golf’s oldest major, The Open Championship, just got a new twist, and it’s a tricky one. Royal Birkdale will host a tournament in July 2026, but before the first tee shot at the historic Lancashire links, twelve players will get another chance to make their major dream come true. All thanks to the “Last-Chance Qualifier.”

It will be held on Monday, July 13, with four groups teeing off between 7:30-8:03 a.m. local time. The 18-hole stroke-play event is part of a series of enhancements aimed at elevating the fan experience by injecting early-week tension into golf’s oldest major.

The criteria for the same are mentioned below:

• The leading 2 non-exempt players in the OWGR as of July 6.

• The runner-up of The Amateur Championship, provided they are still an amateur as of 13 July.

• Players who missed out in a playoff at Final Qualifying.

• Players who finished one position behind those who secured a place at Final Qualifying.

• Players who were tied for a qualifying place in various events included as part of The Open Qualifying Series (excluding Scotland) but did not qualify due to a lower position in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“The Last-Chance Qualifier will provide fans with the opportunity to watch high-quality, competitive golf, which will generate drama and intrigue as players compete to earn the final place in the Championship,” said Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, chief championships officer at The R&A. “We have also developed eligibility criteria for the Last-Chance Qualifier which stays true to the traditions of The Open and our qualification process. Every golfer who tees it up at Royal Birkdale will have earned the right to do so, and we look forward to seeing which player emerges from the field in the Last-Chance Qualifier to seal their place in the Championship.”

But the real drama with this new criterion? How these twelve spots actually get filled in the Open Championship. Well, let’s walk through it!

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How the 12-man field and reserve list will be decided

When too many golfers qualify under the eligibility rules, organizers will send out invitations in a set order, based on exemption categories, until 12 players accept and fill the field. After the 12 spots are filled, anyone else who qualifies will be placed on a reserve list. Anyone else who qualifies moves to a reserve list, activated only in exceptional circumstances.

Players on the reserve list could still qualify. The first two reserves, who are the top two non-exempt players in the world, remain on standby through Thursday’s opening round. This approach makes sure that last-minute adjustments or withdrawals don’t mess up the final field.

After the Monday qualifying, the last reserve spots (beyond the first two) will be granted based on how players do in that 18-hole round. If there is a tie for reserve spots, officials will use the most recent world rankings to decide who gets the spot. If there is a tie for the actual qualifying spot, they will have to have a playoff.

Eligible players will be notified as soon as they are confirmed. Most of the updates should come in early July, and the final spots will be set once the global rankings are published on July 6. This makes things clear for competitors long before the qualifying at Royal Birkdale.