Produced the best Open display by an amateur since Justin Rose's fourth place in 1998 when he finished joint fifth at Royal Birkdale in 2008.
A year later and by then a professional, he missed out on the play-off with Tom Watson and Stewart Cink by one stroke to finish in a tie for third.
Was the European Tour's Rookie of the Year, then his first victory on the circuit came in spectacular style at the 2013 Qatar Masters, an eagle on the final hole taking him past Sergio Garcia and George Coetzee. In 2015 he added the Lyoness Open in Austria and in May 2016 captured the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which brings with it a three-year Open exemption.
Made his Ryder Cup debut that September, partnering Rose to a foursomes victory in his opening game before losing by one hole in the singles to Dustin Johnson.
The 6ft 5in Bristol golfer, who was a runner-up in the Oman, French and KLM Opens in 2018, made his most recent Open appearance at Royal Portrush the following year.