Sean Crocker

Back in The Open after a six-year gap, a joint third place in the Italian Open on June 30 giving him the second of the two Qualifying Series spots up for grabs because winner Marcel Siem was already exempt and Jannik De Bruyn, who also shared third, had a much lower world ranking.

Born in Zimbabwe, where his father Gary played Test cricket, but the family moved to California when he was five and he represented the United States in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup college match alongside 2021 Champion Golfer Collin Morikawa and against Viktor Hovland.

Crocker turned professional the same season, having two years earlier lost to eventual winner Bryson DeChambeau in the semi-finals of the US Amateur.

He came through the Challenge Tour to earn a place on the DP World Tour and won the 2022 Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews.

That victory followed runner-up finishes in the 2019 Hassan Trophy, 2020 Alfred Dunhill Championship and 2021 Czech Masters and another second place came in last season’s Scandinavian Mixed tournament.