Aguri Iwasaki

Made a mere three halfway cuts in 15 starts on the 2023 DP World Tour – and none in his last nine tournaments – but on returning home needed only two events to make a real name for himself and book his Royal Troon spot. 

The Japan Open offers one exempt spot and Iwasaki went into it ranked 408th in the world, but his stunning first victory on their circuit came with a closing 65 and by two strokes from Ryo Ishikawa, himself an 18-time winner on home soil.

"This will be a big confidence boost for me," he said. "I’m getting used to difficult pin positions in Europe and that might have helped here. It’s truly the most joyous occasion of my life – initially the victory felt surreal, but I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of congratulatory messages."

It was his only top-20 finish in 2023, but the previous season he posted runner-up finishes at the Panasonic Open, Heiwa PGM Championship and Casio World Cup to finish third on the JGTO money list and so earn his DP World Tour chance.