Marco Penge

Marco Penge has twice previously come through Final Qualifying for The Open, but took a different path to Royal Portrush - qualifying after a third place finish in the Investec South African Open in March.

This gave him his best-ever finish on the DP World Tour, and also the second of three Open Qualifying Series spots on offer at the event.

After his Open debut at St Andrews in 2022 he described it as “the best week of my life” and added: “I remember leaving that week - I didn’t play well and was quite disappointed - and saying to my team I want to be back. The feeling that you get is something else.”

Penge won the Scottish stroke play title at 17 in 2015 and was the winner of the boys Order of Merit that season.

Before the Investec South African Open, his previous highest Tour finish was also in South Africa - fourth place at the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Championship.