Mingyu Cho

The two biggest wins of Cho’s career have both come on the Japan Tour.

In 2011, he stormed to a four-stroke victory at the Kansai Open and five years later he was a three-stroke winner of the Fujisankei Classic, with home star Ryo Ishikawa among those in second place.

This June he had the chance to add the Kolon Korea Open, but lost a three-hole play-off to compatriot Minkyu Kim. The compensation was a place at St Andrews with the tournament offering two spots as part of The Open Qualifying Series.

And because his world ranking of 433rd at the time was 71 places lower than Kim’s he would have missed out if Hyungjoon Lee, needing a par on the last to take the title, had not gone out of bounds and double-bogeyed.

“I think it was 1998 when Justin Rose played The Open as an amateur that I first learned about the Championship.” he said.

“Ever since, playing in a major has always been my goal and it’s a great honour to finally have the opportunity. It’s my first time in the UK for any golf championship and for it to be the 150th Open will be very special.”