The Race For The 2026 Open Silver Medal: Who Are The 10 Amateurs Qualified For Royal Birkdale?

The Open Championship is one of golf's most iconic events, with a star-studded field assembled at Royal Birkdale this week.

A total of 10 amateur golfers have earned the chance to compete at the most historical Major championship in golf, joining the world's finest players on the biggest stage of all.

An amateur golfer has not won The Open Championship since 1930, when Bobby Jones claimed victory at Royal Liverpool.

Although lifting the Claret Jug is the dream goal, a more realistic target for the 10 amateurs competing will be the Silver Medal, which is awarded to the best performing amateur of the week.

Find out who they are and how they have qualified below...

Jack Buchanan

• Age: 21
• Nationality: South African
• WAGR: 88
• Qualifying Route: Africa Amateur Championship

Buchanan will be teeing it up at Royal Birkdale for his first Open Championship start.

The South African earned his place by surging to victory at the Africa Amateur Championship, shooting an impressive 21-under-par to win by six strokes.

Alejandro De Castro Piera

• Age: 21
• Nationality: Spanish
• WAGR: 52
• Qualifying Route: Final Qualifying

The Spaniard, who attended Long Beach State University, claimed his place through Final Qualifying, shooting eight-under-par at Burnham & Berrow to finish T3rd.

During his college career in 2025 and 2026, he has finished inside the top ten in nine out of 12 starts and he will be hoping to build on his success.

Stuart Grehan

• Age: 33
• Nationality: Irish
• WAGR: 19
• Qualifying Route: Amateur Championship

Stuart Grehan secured his place at The Open by winning the Amateur Championship last month beating America's Matt Moloney by a score of 1up.

The Irishman represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 2025 Walker Cup, and will be making his first Major appearance at Royal Birkdale.

Being a former professional, Grehan had his amateur status reinstated in 2024 after spending seven years in the paid ranks from 2017.

Lev Grinberg

• Age: 18
• Nationality: Ukrainian
• WAGR: 40
• Qualifying Route: Open Amateur Series

The 18-year-old Frenchman, born in Kyiv, Ukraine, changed his sporting nationality to represent France in international events for 2026.

He earned his place at Royal Birkdale after winning the Open Amateur Series in June.

This series consists of three events across the year, and the player with the most World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points earns a spot at The Open.

In terms of his results, Grinberg won the St Andrews Links Trophy and, although he missed the match play portion of The Amateur Championship, a T6th finish at the European Amateur Championship meant he qualified for his first Open Championship.

David Howard

• Age: 25
• Nationality: Irish
• WAGR: 1441
• Qualifying Route: Final Qualifying

Howard battled it out at Dundonald Links Final Qualifying to put himself in the top five and earn a spot at The Open.

The Irishman was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of seven, and now hopes to inspire others as he takes on the biggest stage in golf.

Away from the golf course, Howard works as a qualified mechanic for Audi, another passion outside of golf.

Mason Howell

• Age: 19
• Nationality: American
• WAGR: 45
• Qualifying Route: US Amateur

19-year-old Mason Howell qualified for The 154th Open after winning the 2025 US Amateur, defeating Jackson Harrington 7&6 in the final.

The Amateur featured in this year's Masters, where he played alongside Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young for the first two days before missing the cut for the weekend.

Howell represented the US team at the 2025 Walker Cup, where he won two and a half points across three matches. He also competed at the 2025 US Open, and is definitely one to look out for...

Pongsapak "Fifa" Laopakdee

• Age: 21
• Nationality: Thai
• WAGR: 23
• Qualifying Route: Asia Pacific Amateur Championship

Fifa Laopakdee qualified for The Open Championship in astounding fashion. He came from six shots behind on the final day to win the 2025 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

In addition to playing in The Open, the Arizona State University golfer also gained an invitation to the 2026 Masters. The Thai golfer gained the 'Fifa' nickname due to his father's love of soccer.

Mateo Pulcini

• Age: 25
• Nationality: Argentinian
• WAGR: 78
• Qualifying Route: Latin America Amateur Championship

Mateo Pulcini won the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship to earn his place at The Open.

At 25, Pulcini became the oldest player to win the event, where he defeated Virgilio Paz Valdes of Venezuela in a playoff with a comfortable two-putt par.

Pulcini made an appearance at the 2026 US Open, where missed the cut with a score of 11-over-par across his two rounds.

The Oklahoma University Graduate will make his Open debut, and he also appeared at The Masters, where he finished 15-over-par, missing the cut in the process.

Nevill Ruiter

• Age: 25
• Nationality: Dutch
• WAGR: 126
• Qualifying Route: Final Qualifying

Ruiter is ready to make his debut at Royal Birkdale after shooting three-under-par at the Final Open Qualifying at Dundonald Links.

The Dutch amateur attended the College of Charleston, where he won the Giles-Spratley Collegiate individual title in 2026.

Tim Wiedemeyer

• Age: 21
• Nationality: German
• WAGR: 10
• Qualifying Route: European Amateur Championship

After winning the 2026 European Amateur Championship, Wiedemeyer qualified for The Open Championship.

The German amateur finished two strokes clear of Ruiter, recording a score of 13-under-par at Vanajanlinna Golf and Country Club.

Wiedemeyer, from Olching, on the outskirts of Munich, currently plays his college golf at Texas Tech - the same university that Ludvig Aberg attended.

Considering the last time an amateur won The Open was back in 1930, the Silver Medal is a more realistic goal for the ten amateurs.

The coveted prize is awarded to the leading amateur, provided they have played all 72 holes.

Underneath is a list of the last 10 amateurs to have won the Silver Medal...