Rikuya Hoshino

Back for a fourth successive Open Championship after a trio of runner-up finishes late in 2023.

The first came on his home Japan Tour at the Tokai Classic, then Min Woo Lee beat him to the Fortinet Australian PGA title and a week later he was in a play-off for the Australian Open, but Joaquin Niemann got the better of him with an eagle on the second extra hole.

That event, however, carried three Royal Troon spots as part of the Open Qualifying Series. Made his debut at Royal St George's in 2021 after a four-stroke win at the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup – the fifth of his six wins on home soil – then he played at St Andrews when Justin Rose had to pull out injured just before his opening round. At Royal Liverpool, he was exempt thanks to finishing second on his Order of Merit behind Kazuki Higa.

His major debut was actually at the 2018 US Open, where he was called into the field late on as a reserve from the qualifying stage. Entered the world’s top 100 for the first time with two wins in 2021 and reached a career-high 63rd the following season.