Making your debut at The Open Championship is a notable milestone in a player’s career, from wherever you may hail.
As golf’s oldest championship, its tradition is unmatched and boasts a truly international appeal.
At this week’s 153rd Open, 37 players are set to experience the thrill and pressures that come with competing on such a stage for the first time.
Such is the challenge of links golf, only five men - Collin Morikawa, Ben Curtis, Tom Watson, Tony Lema and Ben Curtis – have lifted the Claret Jug on their debut.
Here, we take a look at the 11 DP World Tour members who have earned their spots at Royal Portrush through a range of paths.
Ryggs Johnston
Age: 25
Official World Golf Ranking: 330
DP World Tour titles: 2025 ISPS HANDA Australian Open (co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR of Australasia and DP World Tour)
The American only turned professional in June 2024, after a stellar collegiate career at Arizona State University. But it didn’t take him long to make a name for himself, as he progressed from DP World Tour Qualifying School to win his first title in the paid ranks at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open. Not only that, but with it being an event in the Open Qualifying Series, he booked his Major debut. Then the World Number 953, he was soon breaking into the world’s top 300 before the end of 2024. While form has proved hard to come by so far this year, he is still well placed to be among the top 70 who progress to the DP World Tour Play-Offs, which begin in Abu Dhabi and see the top 50 progress to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. Still only 25, he has made 20 appearances – only two fewer than the most - in his rookie season in an effort to gain experience in the different conditions that the Race to Dubai’s global adventure presents.
Dylan Naidoo
Age: 27
Official World Golf Ranking: 278
DP World Tour titles: 2025 Investec South African Open Championship (co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour)
Made his DP World Tour debut just days after his 17th birthday in 2015, before going on to be a consistent figure on the Sunshine Tour after turning professional in 2019. But this will undoubtedly go down as the year he made his big breakthrough, dramatically winning the Investec South African Open Championship in a play-off against Laurie Canter after the event was reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather. Having finished runner-up at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open earlier this season, his first DP World Tour title earned him the right to plan a schedule involving some of the game's biggest and most historic tournaments. His win at Durban Country Club also saw him earn his Major debut this week, via the Open Qualifying Series.
Niklas Nørgaard
Age: 33
Official World Golf Ranking: 111
DP World Tour titles: 2024 Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo
At the start of the year, the Dane was yet to appear in one of golf’s four biggest annual events but he is now making his final preparations ahead of a third Major start in a row. After a missed cut at the US PGA Championship, he finished in the top 50 at the treacherous Oakmont Country Club last month at the U.S. Open. A decade on from turning professional, after representing Denmark in a host of amateur championships, the former graduate of the Nordic Golf League and HotelPlanner Tour is in the midst of his first season competing as a truly international player after a breakthrough DP World Tour campaign in 2024 that saw him become a first-time winner and earn dual membership status with the PGA TOUR. After his win in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry, he went on to record top ten finishes on the Rolex Series – at the BMW PGA Championship and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – to finish a career-high 11th on the Race to Dubai Rankings. Another impressive performance followed at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, before he registered his second top five of the year at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic in May. Known for his big hitting off the tee, he ranks third for driving distance stateside behind only Aldrich Potgieter and Chris Gotterup. He recently became a father for the first time, following the birth of his daughter with wife Cecilie.
Adrien Saddier
Age: 33
Official World Golf Ranking: 134
DP World Tour titles: 2025 Italian Open
They say good things come to those who wait and that proverb seems to be true for Saddier. It was just a few weeks ago that the Frenchman celebrated his 200th start on the DP World Tour with victory at the Italian Open. A polished performance saw him claim a breakthrough victory on the DP World Tour and first as a professional since the 2016 Fred Olsen Challenge de España on the HotelPlanner Tour. While he first earned his card at DP World Tour Qualifying School in his rookie year as a professional, it is only since returning to the Tour by the same route at the end of 2022 that he has cemented his place. After comfortably retaining his status in 2023 and 2024, he registered three top tens across the International and Asian Swings, finishing tied third at the Porsche Singapore Classic as he matched his career-best result on Tour. After feeling unwell at the start of the European Swing, he said he was "back in full form" at the Italian Open and that certainly showed at Argentario Golf Club. Having recently risen to a career high 129th in the world, the 33-year-old will now be hoping to kick on as he gets a taste of the Major stage for the first time.
Martin Couvra
Age: 22
Official World Golf Ranking: 127
DP World Tour titles: 2025 Turkish Airlines Open
Regarded as one of the top prospects on the DP World Tour, much was expected of the Frenchman and he has certainly underlined his potential in his rookie season. In 2023, he became the first European to win all three of South Africa's major amateur titles in one season, before later that year claiming success on the HotelPlanner Tour at the Challenge de España. With his career-changing victory, he became only the seventh player in history to win on the HotelPlanner Tour as an amateur. Since making the professional leap, he has enjoyed promotion to the DP World Tour and made an instant impact on Golf's Global Tour. After registering three top tens in his first five starts of the campaign, he won his first DP World Tour title at the Turkish Airlines Open in May and has continued to shine with further top tens in Austria and Italy, the latter a runner-up finish that saw him earn his spot at The Open through the Open Qualifying Series. While he has drawn comparisons to Rory McIlroy due to modelling his swing on the Northern Irishman, he appears to be keeping his feet on the ground as he relishes the opportunities he is earning. Aged just 22, a first Major now awaits at Royal Portrush as he adds another highlight to a memorable campaign which has much still to offer.
Harry Hall
Age: 27
Official World Golf Ranking: 73
DP World Tour titles: 2024 ISCO Championship
The pride of Cornwall will be making his first appearance in his home Major, almost exactly 12 months on from his maiden DP World Tour victory at the ISCO Championship, after coming through qualifying at Burnham & Berrow. Enjoyed a successful amateur career that included him featuring at the Walker Cup in 2019, and graduate from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Since turning professional, he played on the Korn Ferry Tour from 2020 to 2022 before progressing to the PGA TOUR. His victory at the ISCO Championship earned him exempt status on the DP World Tour through to the end of 2026. This will be his third appearance at a Major, having finished in the top 20 earlier this season at the US PGA Championship. Full of confidence after a fine stretch of form this year, including a recent top ten at the Travellers Championship – a Signature Event on the PGA TOUR - and a top 20 at the Genesis Scottish Open.
Nathan Kimsey
Age: 32
Official World Golf Ranking: 508
The Englishman won’t be short of course knowledge ahead of his Major debut. His girlfriend, Lauren Taylor, won the Women’s Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush in 2011 so will have plenty of advice about the challenge ahead. Part of the 2013 Walker Cup team that also featured Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Smith, he first earned his DP World Tour card for the 2017 season after coming through all three stages of Qualifying School. But injuries have derailed his progress, with him waiting more than five years before his return to Golf’s Global Tour as he won the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A to win the Road to Mallorca Rankings. After an encouraging start to the 2023 season, a hand injury would sideline him for almost five months. But it wouldn’t be long before he was in title contention, losing out to Vincent Norrman in a play-off at the Barbasol Championship. Promising performances would follow as he qualified for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, but pain in his hand would resurface in the early weeks of 2024. Further scans revealed his hand injury had resurfaced, requiring surgery. After withdrawing from the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, he would miss the rest of the season, but since his latest comeback at the back end of 2024, he has registered five top 20s and can now look forward to ticking off a career milestone.
Kristoffer Reitan
Age: 27
Official World Golf Ranking: 84
DP World Tour titles: 2025 Soudal Open
Undoubtedly one of the breakout players so far this season on the DP World Tour. After winning the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A to seal promotion from the HotelPlanner Tour after a five-year absence, the Norwegian has made big strides in his game. After a middling start to his season, he kickstarted his fine run of form with a tie for second at the Hainan Classic. He produced a stunning course-record 62 in the final round on his way to a play-off victory at the Soudal Open in May and has taken great confidence from that first DP World Tour title. He added two further top fives, including another tie for second in Austria after closing out his week with a 60, as he sealed victory in the European Swing to claim a US$200,000 bonus. Now, days on from playing at the Genesis Scottish Open, he is looking forward to a first appearance in an Open Championship and just his second in a Major after becoming the first Norwegian to play at the U.S. Open in 2018.
Daniel Young
Age: 33
Official World Golf Ranking: 464
The Scot is a man in form. Prior to coming through Final Qualifying at Dundonald Links, he secured back-to-back top threes on the HotelPlanner Tour across a double-header in France to put him on track for promotion to the DP World Tour for the first time. A winner of the South African Amateur Championship and runner-up to Robert MacIntyre at the Scottish Amateur Championship in 2015, his progress in the paid ranks has been slow but he seems to be hitting his stride now. He also has playing experience of Portrush, having played at the venue in his final year as an amateur in the Home Internationals.
Oliver Lindell
Age: 26
Official World Golf Ranking: 291
A player who dominated junior golf in his homeland of Finland, Lindell made serene progress into the senior game, topping the ECCO Tour Rankings and finishing second on the Nordic Golf League Rankings in 2016 to earn his place on the HotelPlanner Tour. Recorded six top tens in his rookie season but only five in the next six years before enjoying a breakout in 2024. The only thing missing from his resumé last season on the HotelPlanner Tour was a win as he secured promotion to the DP World Tour. Secured his first top ten of his rookie season on the DP World Tour at the Italian Open recently.
John Axelsen
Age: 27
Official World Golf Ranking: 676
Turned professional in 2020 after a successful amateur career, including competing in the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup and a team win with the Højgaard twins at the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy. A four-time winner on the Nordic Golf League, he secured a DP World Tour card for the 2022-23 season through Qualifying School but just missed out on retaining his full privileges by two places. Now back playing on the HotelPlanner Tour, he recorded his best finish of the campaign so far at last month’s Swiss Challenge with a tie for fifth.
