Wells Fargo

Wyndham Clark qualified for The 151st Open after storming to victory in the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

The American finished on 19-under-par, four shots clear of compatriot Xander Schauffele to pick up his maiden PGA Tour title.

Michael Kim (seventh) and Denny McCarthy (tied eighth) also punched their tickets to Hoylake following their solid performances in North Carolina.

The 151st Open will take place at Royal Liverpool between 20-23 July.

Clark’s first appearance at The Open came in the 150th edition, at St Andrews last year.

He said: “It was awesome to be at my first Open and I’m excited to go back and play another one.”

Kim finished nine shots behind Clark on 10-under-par but those finishing above him on the leaderboard – Schauffele, Harris English, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Adam Scott – were already exempt into this year’s Championship.

Like Clark, Kim has played at The Open just once before, at Carnoustie in 2018, when he finished in a tie for 35th place.

“It might be my favourite golf tournament in the world,” he said of golf’s original major.

“I think links golf truly is how golf should be played, and I only have fond memories of [Carnoustie]. I loved every second of it.

“It’s the creativity, it’s not just [hitting] driver every hole. You can hit whatever you want off the tee. I love the amount of strategy that’s involved.

“I remember walking up 18 at Carnoustie that final round and how awesome it was.”

McCarthy and Brendon Todd finished tied for eighth place on nine-under-par alongside the already-exempt K.H. Lee, Max Homa, Corey Conners and Sungjae Im.

McCarthy took the final Open qualifying place at Quail Hollow courtesy of his higher position in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Any golfer who has earned a qualifying place who then becomes exempt under one or more categories before the closing date of entries for The Open on 1 June will result in that place being awarded to the next non-exempt golfer, which will be determined by a reserve list for each event played before this date.