Sebastian Soderberg

Sebastian Soderberg was a late withdrawal from the field at Royal Troon because of back and rib trouble, but now finally makes his Open debut at Royal Portrush – nine years after he first qualified for the US Open.

This comes six years after his only DP World Tour title at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland, where he won a five-man play-off which also included Rory McIlroy. At the time McIlroy was ranked second in the world and Soderberg 287th.

After a runner-up finish at the 2022 Betfred British Masters he made it back into the US Open before starting the following season with a joint second place behind Victor Perez at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Soderberg was on course for a second Tour title at last June’s Volvo Scandinavian Mixed event, but double-bogeyed the last for a 77 and lost by one to Linn Grant.

Two months earlier was second at both the Hero Indian Open and ISPS Handa Championship, a double which lifted him into the game’s top 100 for the first time.

He won gold representing Sweden Boys at the European Boys Team Championship before spending four-and-a-half years studying at Coastal Carolina University.