Underdog Englishman Wins Debut Last-Chance Qualifier at The Open

SOUTHPORT, England — The No. 268-ranked golfer in the world, Englishman Joe Dean, earned the 156th and final spot in the Open Championship on Monday after winning the tournament’s debut Last-Chance Qualifier at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

An unprecedented move by one of golf’s four majors, the winner-take-all 18-hole stroke play event saw 12 players who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Open get one more shot at making the field. First announced in June 2025, the Last-Chance Qualifier was introduced to “elevate the experience” of attending the Open’s first official practice-round day, according to the R&A, the organization that runs the Open. 

The Open is expecting 300,000 fans throughout the week, but tickets for Monday, which cost £40, did not sell out.

The first tee grandstand at Royal Birkdale was not full when the four three-player groups teed off between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time as fans filtered into the grounds Monday morning. But the scene was much livelier at the 18th green when players were finishing their rounds between noon and 1 p.m. Dean received a warm round of applause from the home crowd when he completed his -2 round of 68. 

This marks the third major championship for Dean, 32, who has previously played in the Open in 2024 and 2017, and has never qualified for one of the other three majors. His career earnings on the DP World Tour are $2.11 million. The Open’s purse will be announced later this week; last year it paid out $17 million.

Fellow Englishman Andrew Wilson, ranked No. 694, finished second and will be the first alternate for the Open should anyone withdraw before their first round tee time on Thursday. Aldrich Potgieter, the highest-ranked player in the Last Chance Qualifier at No. 77, bogeyed the Par-4 18th hole to finish third.

The R&A has not yet announced whether the Last Chance Qualifier will return next year ahead of the Open at St Andrews.