Meet the field

The field for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon is set with golfers from 28 nations set to take part. 

The coastal course will throw the same tests at Champion Golfers and debutants alike. 

Here is a breakdown of who will be teeing off this week: 

The Champion Golfers 

Every Champion Golfer of the Year since 2004 will be in action at Royal Troon this week, with 19 overall, the most since 2015. 

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson returns to the scene of his stunning 2016 triumph where he edged out 2013 Champion Golfer Phil Mickelson, while Todd Hamilton is playing 20 years on from his own victory at Royal Troon. 

Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington are the two-time victors in action, while Tiger Woods is the most successful former Champion Golfer on the leaderboard with three wins to his name.

Sixteen men will aim to add a second victory to their first with defending Champion Golfer Brian Harman hoping to retain his Claret Jug and become the first player to do so since Harrington in 2008. 

The best in the world 

Forty-nine golfers out of the world’s top 50 will be in action at The 152nd Open.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler will hope to add the Claret Jug to his trophy collection that already includes two green jackets from the Masters. 

Hot on his heels is second-ranked Rory McIlroy, who won his first Open a decade ago, with 2014 also marking the year of his last major triumph. 

Also part of the top 10, Bryson DeChambeau may be licking his lips at the prospect of the sending a trademark crushing drive down the 6th hole at Royal Troon, which will become the longest hole in Open history at 623 yards. 

The debutants 

There are 37 golfers making their bow at Royal Troon hailing from 15 different countries. 

Some, like Ludvig Aberg, have already established themselves among the hottest properties in the world of golf. 

The 24-year-old Swede represented Team Europe in last year’s Ryder Cup triumph before finishing as runner-up at the Masters on his major debut earlier this year and arrives in Scotland as the World No.4

Others are making their major debut this week, with Australian Elvis Smylie coming through the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at Royal Cinque Ports. 

Smylie has previously been to Royal Troon, watching on as Stenson claimed the Claret Jug in 2016. 

Davis Thompson arrives to his first Open appearance in fine form, having qualified for the Championship by winning the John Deere Classic for his maiden PGA Tour title. 

The American produced a tournament record 28-under-par to storm to victory, going on to tie for ninth at the US Open. 

The amateurs 

A perfect dozen of 12 amateurs will compete for the Silver Medal as the leading amateur this week. 

Santiago de le Fuente cried tears of joy as he clinched victory at the Latin America Amateur Championship in January. 

Having fallen short at the same event two years prior, the Mexican did not waste his opportunity this time around to seal a place at his first Open. 

Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen made history as he became his country’s first winner of The Amateur Championship in June. 

He had never previously played the event, moving through qualifying and then six rounds of matchplay as he beat England’s Dominic Clemons 4&3 in the final. 

Matthew Dodd-Berry will be hoping to join his clubmate Matthew Jordan in an impressive showing at The Open.

Jordan finished joint-10th at last year’s Championship at his home course of Royal Liverpool while Dodd-Berry will tee off at Royal Troon having been crowned joint-winner of the 36-hole Final Qualifying event at West Lancashire.

The Scots

There has not been a Scottish winner of The Open since Paul Lawrie was crowned Champion Golfer of the Year in 1999, doing so in Scotland at Carnoustie.

Four men will vie to join him and 20 other Scotsmen to have won the Claret Jug, with Scotland providing the winner of the first 29 Championships.

Robert MacIntyre will lead the Saltire charge following a dramatic victory at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday. 

He holed a birdie putt from 22 feet out on the last to claim victory and add to his first PGA win, with his father as his caddie, which arrived in June’s Canadian Open. 

Ewen Ferguson is playing in only his second Open this year having taken the final qualifying spot from the DP World Tour Rankings just eight days ago. 

Two Scots are making their debuts with 20-year-old amateur Calum Scott qualifying via the Open Amateur Series and Jack McDonald, who is following in his grandfather Gordon Cosh’s footsteps by playing in golf's original Championship.