The 2012 Open Championship was a

men's major golf championship The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the major championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the most prestigious tournaments in golf. Historically, the national open and amateur championships of Great Britain a ...

and the 141st

Open Championship The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...

, held from 19 to 22 July at

Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, is one of the courses in the The Open Championship, Open Championship rotation. The Women's British Open has also been played on the course five times: once prior to being ...

Lytham St Annes Lytham St Annes () is a seaside town in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England. It is on the The Fylde, Fylde coast, directly south of Blackpool on the Ribble Estuary. The population at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 42,954 ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Ernie Els Theodore Ernest Els (; born 17 October 1969) is a South African professional golfer. A former , he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature (he stands ) along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victor ...

won his second

Claret Jug The Golf Champion Trophy, commonly known as the Claret Jug, is the trophy presented to the winner of The Open Championship (also called the "British Open"), one of the four major championships in golf. The awarding of the Claret Jug dates fr ...

, one stroke ahead of runner-up Adam Scott.

Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records. * * * Woods is widely regarded as ...

and

Brandt Snedeker Brandt Newell Snedeker (born December 8, 1980) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He won the 2012 FedEx Cup with a victory in the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. After this victory, he moved into ...

finished tied for third, four strokes behind Els, who gained his fourth

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

title. Scott was the leader after 54 holes at 199 (−11), with Els six strokes back, tied for fifth. After a

birdie Birdy or Birdie may refer to: Places in the United States * Birdie, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Birdie, Mississippi, an unincorporated community People with the name * Birdie Blye (1871–1935), American pianist * Birdy (singer) ...

at the 14th hole, Scott was four strokes ahead with four holes to play. Els, two groups ahead of Scott on the course, birdied the 18th hole for a score of 68 and the clubhouse lead at 273 (−7). When Scott agonizingly bogeyed each of the final four holes, he dropped to second and Els won the Championship by a single stroke. Entering the final round,

Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell (born 30 July 1979) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland. He has a total of eleven tournament victories on the European Tour, and four on the PGA Tour, including one major championship, the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Be ...

and Snedeker were tied for second at 203 (−7), four strokes behind Scott. McDowell shot a 75 (+5) and Snedeker a 74 to knock them out of contention; Woods had a triple bogey at the sixth hole and carded a 73 to tie for third with Snedeker.

Venue

The 2012 event was the eleventh Open Championship to be played at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The previous one was in

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...

, when

David Duval David Robert Duval (born November 9, 1971) is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 Golfer who competed on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Duval won 13 PGA Tour tournaments between 1997 and 2001; incl ...

won his only major championship, three strokes clear of runner-up

Niclas Fasth Niclas Fasth (born 29 April 1972) is a Swedish professional golfer. Early life Fasth was born in Gothenburg. In 1982, when he was 10 years old, his parents bought a summer house close to Lysegården Golf Club in Kungälv, north of Gothenburg. H ...

Tom Lehman Thomas Edward Lehman (born March 7, 1959) is an American professional golfer. A former number 1 ranked golfer, his tournament wins include one major title, the 1996 Open Championship; and he is the only golfer in history to have been awarded th ...

won the previous Open at the venue, in

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

Course layout

^ Hole #6 was a par 5 in previous Opens. Lengths of the course for The Open Championship (since 1950): * 2012: , par 70 *

: , par 71 *

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

: , par 71 *

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

: , par 71 *

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

: , par 71 * 1969: , par 71 *

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

: , par 70 * 1958: , par 71 * 1952: , par 72

Field

Each player is classified according to the first category in which he qualified, but other categories are shown in parentheses. 1. Past Open Champions aged 60 or under on 22 July 2012

Mark Calcavecchia Mark John Calcavecchia (born June 12, 1960) is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he won 13 PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. He plays on the Champions Tour as well ...

Stewart Cink Stewart may refer to: People * Stewart (name), Scottish surname and given name *Clan Stewart, a Scottish clan *Clan Stewart of Appin, a Scottish clan Places Canada * Stewart, British Columbia *Stewart Township, Nipissing District, Ontario (hist ...

(2,4),

Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke, (born 14 August 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and has previously played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He has won 21 tournaments worldwide on a ...

(2,4,5,7), Ben Curtis (2,4), John Daly,

(2,4,6,20),

Todd Hamilton William Todd Hamilton (born October 18, 1965) is an American professional golfer. He is best known for his victory at the 2004 Open Championship. Early life Hamilton was born in the small west-central Illinois city of Galesburg. He grew up in ...

(2),

Pádraig Harrington Pádraig Peter Harrington (born 31 August 1971) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Champ ...

(2,4,14),

Paul Lawrie Paul Stewart Lawrie (born 1 January 1969) is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999. He was a vice-captain for the European Ryder Cup team in 2016. Early career Lawrie was born in Aberdee ...

(6,7),

Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard (born June 15, 1972) is an American professional golfer. He has twelve career wins on the PGA Tour, including one major, the 1997 Open Championship. Early years Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Leonard graduated ...

(4),

Sandy Lyle Alexander Walter Barr Lyle (born 9 February 1958) is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s. He spe ...

Louis Oosthuizen Lodewicus Theodorus "Louis" Oosthuizen (; born 1982) is a South African professional golfer who won the 2010 Open Championship. He has finished runner-up in all four major championships: the 2012 Masters Tournament, the 2015 and 2021 U.S. Op ...

(2,4,6,7),

(2,6,12,14,20) * Eligible but not competing:

Ian Baker-Finch Ian Michael Baker-Finch (born 24 October 1960) is an Australian professional golfer and sports commentator, who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1991. Early years Baker-Finch was born in Nambour, Queensland, Australia. He grew ...

Nick Faldo Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo, (born 18 July 1957) is an English retired professional golfer and television commentator. A top player of his era, renowned for his dedication to the game, he was ranked No. 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking for ...

Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian entrepreneur and retired professional golfer who spent 331 weeks as world number one in the 1980s and 1990s. He won 89 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA Tour tournament ...

(4),

Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price (born 28 January 1957) is a Zimbabwean retired professional golfer who has won three major championships in his career: the PGA Championship twice (in 1992 and 1994) and The Open Championship in 1994. In the mid-19 ...

, Bill Rogers. *

Mark O'Meara Mark Francis O'Meara (born January 13, 1957) is an American professional golfer. He was a tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. He spent nearly 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World ...

withdrew due to an unspecified injury. 2. The Open Champions for 2002–2011 3. Past Open Champions born between 22 July 1946 and 19 July 1948
(This exemption category was introduced in 2008 when the age limit for past Open Champions was reduced from 65 to 60. It enabled those past Champions aged 60 to 65 at that time to continue playing until they were 65.

Johnny Miller John Laurence Miller (born April 29, 1947) is an American former professional golfer. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s. He was the first to shoot 63 in a major championship to win the 1973 U.S. Open, and he ra ...

is now the only player in this category. He has not played in the Open since 1991.) 4. Past Open Champions finishing in the top 10 and tying for 10th place in The Open Championship 2007–2011
Tom Watson 5. First 10 and anyone tying for 10th place in the 2011 Open Championship

Thomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn (born 18 February 1971) is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won fifteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1997 he a ...

(6,7),

Chad Campbell David Chad Campbell (born May 31, 1974) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour, where he has won four times. He also notably finished as a runner-up at the 2009 Masters, after losing in a sudden-death playoff. Early years ...

Simon Dyson Simon John Dyson (born 21 December 1977) is an English professional golfer. He played on the European Tour from 2001 to 2017, having played on the Asian Tour in 2000 and winning the Order of Merit. He had six wins on the European Tour, includin ...

(6,7),

Rickie Fowler Rick Yutaka Fowler (born December 13, 1988) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. On January 24, 2016 he reached a career high fourth ...

(6),

Sergio García Sergio García Fernández (; born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf Invitational Series. García has won 36 international tournaments as a professional, most notably th ...

(6,7),

Raphaël Jacquelin Raphaël Jacquelin (born 8 May 1974) is a French professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Career Jacquelin was born in Lyon. He turned professional in 1995, after winning the French Amateur Championship. Jacquelin began his profession ...

Dustin Johnson Dustin Hunter Johnson (born June 22, 1984) is an American professional golfer. He has won two major championships, the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club with a 4-under-par score of 276 and the 2020 Masters Tournament with a record score ...

(6,16,20),

Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III (born April 13, 1964) is an American professional golfer who has won 21 events on the PGA Tour, including one major championship: the 1997 PGA Championship. He won the Players Championship in 1992 and 2003. He was in th ...

Phil Mickelson Philip Alfred Mickelson (born June 16, 1970), nicknamed Lefty, is an American professional golfer who plays for LIV Golf. He has won 45 events on the PGA Tour, including six Men's major golf championships, major championships: three Masters To ...

(6,13,16,20) *

Anthony Kim Anthony Ha-Jin Kim (born June 19, 1985) is an American professional golfer with three PGA Tour wins, who played in one Ryder Cup competition, and one Presidents Cup competition. He has not played in a PGA Tour event since an injury in 2012. He ...

did not play due to tendinitis in his left arm. 6. The first 50 players on the

Official World Golf Ranking The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. It was started in 1986. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments (i.e. not pairs or team events) over a "rolli ...

for Week 20, 2012

Aaron Baddeley Aaron John Baddeley (born 17 March 1981) is an Australian professional golfer. He was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA and now plays on the U.S.-based PGA Tour, he has joint U.S. and Australian citizenship and was raised in Australia from the ...

(16,20),

Bae Sang-moon Bae Sang-moon ( ko, 배상문; born 21 June 1986), or Sang-moon Bae, is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Professional career Bae turned professional in 2004. He won the 2006 Emerson Pacific Group Open on the Korean ...

(24),

Keegan Bradley Keegan Hansen Bradley (born June 7, 1986) is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. He has won five tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship. He is one of six golfers to win in his major debut, along with Ben Cu ...

(14,16),

K. J. Choi Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...

(15,16,20),

Nicolas Colsaerts Nicolas Colsaerts (born 14 November 1982) is a Belgian professional golfer currently playing on the European Tour and previously on the PGA Tour. Early life Colsaerts, also known as "The Belgian Bomber", was born in Schaerbeek, Belgium. Coming ...

(7),

Luke Donald Luke Campbell Donald MBE (born 7 December 1977) is an English professional golfer and former world number one. He plays mainly on the U.S.-based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. Donald had an outstanding year in 2011, winnin ...

(7,8,16),

Jason Dufner Jason Christopher Dufner (born March 24, 1977) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour where he is a five-time winner. He has won one major championship, the 2013 PGA Championship. He was also runner-up in the 2011 PGA Cha ...

(16),

Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk (born May 12, 1970) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. In 2010, he was the FedEx Cup champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 200 ...

(20),

Bill Haas William Harlan Haas (born May 24, 1982) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and won the 2011 FedEx Cup. He is the son of former PGA Tour player Jay Haas. Early life Haas was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was r ...

(16,20),

Anders Hansen Anders Rosenberg Hansen (born 16 September 1970) is a semi-retired Danish professional golfer. Career Hansen was born in Sønderborg, Denmark. He turned professional in 1995. It took him a few years to establish himself on the European Tour, wi ...

(7),

Peter Hanson Peter Daniel Hanson (born 4 October 1977) is a Swedish former professional golfer who played on the European Tour and has played on the PGA Tour. Early life Hanson was born in Svedala, in Skåne county in the south of Sweden. He was first intr ...

(7),

Freddie Jacobson Fredrik Ulf Yngve Jacobson (born 26 September 1974) is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and formerly the European Tour. Early life Jacobson was born in Kungsbacka, 30 kilometers south of Gothenburg, at the west coast of Sw ...

(16),

Zach Johnson Zachary Harris Johnson (born February 24, 1976) is an American professional golfer who has 12 victories on the PGA Tour, including two major championships, the 2007 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship. In 2023, Johnson will captain the U ...

Martin Kaymer Martin Kaymer ( ; born 28 December 1984) is a German professional golfer. A winner of two major championships, he was also the No. 1 ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking for eight weeks in 2011. Kaymer achieved his first major vict ...

(7,14),

Matt Kuchar Matthew Gregory Kuchar (born June 21, 1978) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and formerly the Nationwide Tour. He has won nine times on the PGA Tour. Kuchar briefly enjoyed success in the early 2000s before sufferin ...

(15,16,20),

Martin Laird Martin Laird (born 29 December 1982) is a Scottish professional golfer, playing on the PGA Tour. He has won four PGA Tour events in his career, most recently the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in 2020. Until Russell Knox earned his card ...

Hunter Mahan Hunter Myles Mahan (born May 17, 1982) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is a winner of two World Golf Championship events, the 2010 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the 2012 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. ...

(16,20),

(7,12),

Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...

(7,12),

Francesco Molinari Francesco Molinari (born 8 November 1982) is an Italian professional golfer. He won the 2018 Open Championship, his first and only major victory, and the first major won by an Italian professional golfer. The Open Championship win capped a su ...

(7),

Kevin Na Kevin Sangwook Na ( ko, 나상욱; born September 15, 1983) is a Korean American professional golfer. He was a member of the PGA Tour until June 2022, when he resigned in order to join LIV Golf. He won five tournaments on the PGA Tour between 20 ...

Geoff Ogilvy Geoff Charles Ogilvy (born 11 June 1977) is an Australian professional golfer. He won the 2006 U.S. Open and has also won three World Golf Championships. Professional career Ogilvy was born in Adelaide, South Australia to an English-born fath ...

(16,20),

Carl Pettersson Carl Pettersson (born 29 August 1977) is a Swedish professional golfer who is a member of the PGA Tour. He has won five times on the PGA Tour, making him one of Sweden's most successful players alongside Jesper Parnevik and Henrik Stenson. Pette ...

Ian Poulter Ian James Poulter (born 10 January 1976) is an English professional golfer who plays in the LIV Golf League. He has previously been ranked as high as number 5 in the world rankings. The highlights of Poulter's career to date have been his two W ...

(7),

Álvaro Quirós Álvaro Quirós García (born 21 January 1983) is a Spanish professional golfer. Quirós was born in Guadiaro, a borough of San Roque, Cádiz. He turned professional in 2004. Professional career Quirós played on the Challenge Tour in 2006, w ...

(7),

Justin Rose Justin Peter Rose, (born 30 July 1980) is an English professional golfer who plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour, while keeping his membership on the European Tour. He won his first major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open (golf), 2013 U.S. O ...

(16),

Charl Schwartzel Charl Adriaan Schwartzel ( ; born 31 August 1984) is a South African professional golfer who currently plays in the LIV Golf Invitational Series and has previously played on the PGA Tour, European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. He has won one maj ...

(7,13,20), Adam Scott (16,20),

John Senden John Gerard Senden (born 20 April 1971) is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Senden was born in Brisbane, Queensland and turned pro in 1992. Senden has played all over the world. He is a regular competitor on the PGA ...

(16),

Steve Stricker Steven Charles Stricker (born February 23, 1967) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He has twelve victories on the PGA Tour, including the WGC-Match Play title in 2001 and two FedEx Cup play ...

(16,20),

Bo Van Pelt Bo Van Pelt (born May 16, 1975) is an American professional golfer who has played on both the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour. He has featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Van Pelt was born in Richmond, Indiana. He graduat ...

(16),

Nick Watney Nicholas Alan Watney (born April 25, 1981) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. The highlight of Watney's career is his victory at the 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship. In July 2011, Watney won the AT&T National and broke i ...

(16,20), Bubba Watson (13,16,20),

Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood (born 24 April 1973) is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on five continents – Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and Oceania – including ...

(7), Mark Wilson (16) *

Jason Day Jason Day (born 12 November 1987) is an Australian professional golfer, PGA Tour member and winner of the 2015 PGA Championship. He is a former world number one in the World Golf Ranking, having first achieved the ranking in September 2015. ...

(16,20) did not compete for personal reasons. *

Robert Karlsson Robert Karlsson (born 3 September 1969) is a Swedish professional golfer who has played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour, and now plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Early life Karlsson was born in Katrineholm, Sweden where his father Björn ...

did not compete. *

Webb Simpson James Frederick Webb Simpson (born August 8, 1985) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour who won the 2012 U.S. Open and the 2018 Players Championship. As an amateur, he was a member of the United States' victorious 2007 Walker C ...

(12,16,20) did not compete for personal reasons. *

David Toms David Wayne Toms (born January 4, 1967) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. From 1992 to 2017, Toms was a member of the PGA Tour, where he won 13 events, including one major, the 2001 PGA Championship ...

(16,20) did not compete. 7. First 30 in the European Tour

Race to Dubai The European Tour (currently known as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons), legally the PGA European Tour is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European Senior Tour (for players aged fift ...

for 2011

Thomas Aiken Thomas Edward Aiken (born 16 July 1983) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and Sunshine Tour. Career Following a successful amateur career, which included being named the South African Amateur of the Year in ...

Rafa Cabrera-Bello Rafael Cabrera-Bello (born 25 May 1984) is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, where he has won four times. He has also played on the PGA Tour. Early life and family Cabrera-Bello was born in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. ...

Paul Casey Paul Alexander Casey (born 21 July 1977) is an English golfer who is a member of LIV Golf. He has also played on the US-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009, he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Ranking. ...

George Coetzee George William Coetzee (born 18 July 1986) is a South African professional golfer. He has won five tournaments on the European Tour and 13 on the Sunshine Tour, where he has also topped the Order of Merit on two occasions. Early life Coetzee wa ...

Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño (born 13 October 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour, winning seven times, and on the PGA Tour. Early life Fernández-Castaño was born in Madrid. He started playing golf at t ...

Grégory Havret Grégory Havret (born 25 November 1976) is a French professional golfer. Career Havret won the French Amateur Championship three years in a row from 1997 to 1999, and in 1999 he won the European Amateur. He also won a minor professional tournamen ...

, Michael Hoey,

Miguel Ángel Jiménez Miguel Ángel Jiménez Rodríguez (born 5 January 1964) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has won 21 times on the European Tour and has been a member of two victorious Ryder Cup teams. Early years Born in Málaga in southern Spain, Jiménez ...

Pablo Larrazábal Pablo Larrazábal Corominas (born 15 May 1983) is a Spanish professional golfer currently playing on the European Tour. He also played in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event at the Centurion Club. Early life Larrazábal was born in ...

Joost Luiten Willibrordus Adrianus Maria "Joost" Luiten (born 7 January 1986) is a Dutch professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Early life and amateur career Luiten was born in Bleiswijk and started playing golf at 6 years old at Golf Centrum ...

Alex Norén Alexander Norén (born 12 July 1982) is a Swedish professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and the European Tour. He has won ten tournaments on the European Tour, including the BMW PGA Championship, the Aberdeen Asset Management S ...

Richie Ramsay } Richie Ramsay (born 15 June 1983) is a Scottish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Ramsay played in the 2005 Walker Cup and, in 2006, became the first British golfer in almost a century to win the U.S. Amateur. Ramsay turned ...

8. The

BMW PGA Championship The BMW PGA Championship is an annual men's professional golf tournament on the European Tour. It was founded in 1955 by the Professional Golfers' Association, and originally called the British PGA Championship. History The BMW PGA Championship ...

winners for 2010–2012

Simon Khan Simon Khan (born 16 June 1972) is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Khan turned professional in 1991 but spent many years struggling to establish his tournament career. His first full season on the European Tour was ...

9. First 3 and anyone tying for 3rd place, not exempt having applied above, in the top 20 of the 2012

PGA European Tour The European Tour (currently known as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons), legally the PGA European Tour is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European Senior Tour (for players aged fift ...

on completion of the 2012

Branden Grace Branden John Grace (born 20 May 1988) is a professional golfer from South Africa who currently plays for LIV Golf. He formerly played on the European Tour, the PGA Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. In 2012, he became the first player in the histor ...

Jbe' Kruger James Barry Kruger (born 23 June 1986) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the Japan Golf Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the Asian Tour. He was born in Kimberley, Northern Cape and turned professional in 2007. He is known professi ...

Robert Rock Robert Rock (born 6 April 1977) is an English professional golfer. He played on the European Tour from 2003 to 2022. He has won twice on the tour, the 2011 BMW Italian Open and the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He lost to Irish amateur ...

10. First 2 European Tour members and any European Tour members tying for 2nd place, not exempt, in a cumulative money list taken from the seven official

European Tour The European Tour (currently known as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons), legally the PGA European Tour is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European Senior Tour (for players aged fift ...

events leading up to and including the 2012 Irish Open

Thongchai Jaidee Thongchai Jaidee ( th, ธงชัย ใจดี; , born 8 November 1969) is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He formerly played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour. On the Asian Tour, he holds the record for ...

, Richard Sterne 11. The leading player, not exempt having applied above, in the first 5 and ties of each of the 2012

Alstom Open de France The Open de France is a European Tour golf tournament. Inaugurated in 1906 it is the oldest national open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's inception in 1972. The 100th edition of the event ...

and the 2012

Barclays Scottish Open Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services. Barclays traces ...

For categories 11, 19 and 26 ties are decided in favour of the player with the highest World Ranking at the commencement of the tournament.

Marcel Siem Marcel Siem (born 15 July 1980) is a German professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Career Siem was born in Mettmann. He turned professional in 2000 and came through Qualifying School to join the European Tour in 2002. He was again su ...

Jeev Milkha Singh Jeev Milkha Singh (born 15 December 1971) is an Indian professional golfer who became the first player from India to join the European Tour in 1998. He has won four events on the European Tour, becoming the most successful Indian on tour. He ...

12. The U.S. Open Champions for 2008–2012

Lucas Glover Lucas Hendley Glover (born November 12, 1979) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open. Early years and amateur career Glover was born in Greenville, South Carolina, ...

13. The U.S. Masters Champions for 2008–2012

Ángel Cabrera Ángel Cabrera (; born 12 September 1969) is an Argentine professional golfer who has played on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as ''"El Pato"'' in Spanish ''("The Duck")'' for his waddling gait. He is a two-time ...

Trevor Immelman Trevor John Immelman (born 16 December 1979) is a South African professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour. He won his sole major championship at the 2008 Masters Tournament. Early years Immelman was bor ...

14. The U.S. PGA Champions for 2007–2011

Yang Yong-eun Yang Yong-eun ( ko, 양용은; born 15 January 1972), also called Y. E. Yang, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He was previously a member of the PGA Tour, where he won twice, including most not ...

(16,20) 15. The U.S. PGA Tour Players Champions for 2010–2012
Tim Clark 16. The leading 30 qualifiers for the 2011

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...

Tour Championship The Tour Championship (stylized as the TOUR Championship) is a golf tournament that is part of the PGA Tour. It has historically been one of the final events of the PGA Tour season; prior to 2007, its field consisted exclusively of the top 30 ...

Jonathan Byrd,

Charles Howell III Charles Gordon Howell III (born June 20, 1979) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on LIV Golf and formerly on the PGA Tour. He has been featured in the top 15 of the Official World Golf Ranking and ranked 9th on the PGA Tour m ...

Chez Reavie William Chesney "Chez" Reavie (born November 12, 1981) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Early career Reavie was born in Wichita, Kansas. He attended Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona. He played college golf at Ariz ...

Vijay Singh Vijay Singh ( hif, विजय सिंह ; born 22 February 1963), nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer. He has won 34 events on the PGA Tour, including three major championships: one Masters title (2000) and two ...

Gary Woodland Gary Woodland (born May 21, 1984) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Woodland won the U.S. Open in 2019, his first major championship and sixth professional victory. Following a successful college career, he turned ...

17. First 3 and anyone tying for 3rd place, not exempt having applied from #6, in the top 20 of the

FedEx Cup The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007. Rory McIlroy is the 2022 champion. Th ...

points list of the 2012 PGA Tour on completion of the

HP Byron Nelson Championship The AT&T Byron Nelson is a golf tournament in Texas on the PGA Tour, currently hosted by TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, northeast of Dallas. Held in May, it is one of two PGA Tour stops in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – which until the 2020- ...

John Huh John Huh (; ko, 허찬수, translit=Heo Chan-su; born May 21, 1990) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. His sole victory on the PGA Tour came at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic. Amateur career Huh was born in New York ...

Kyle Stanley Kyle Stanley (born November 19, 1987) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Amateur career Stanley was born in Gig Harbor, Washington. He was a 2002 graduate of St. Charles Borromeo elementary and middle school and a 20 ...

Johnson Wagner Montford Johnson Wagner (born March 23, 1980) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Early years and amateur career Wagner was born in Amarillo, Texas and grew up in upstate New York, where his father taught computer scien ...

18. First 2 PGA Tour members and any PGA Tour members tying for 2nd place, not exempt, in a cumulative money list taken from

The Players Championship The Players Championship (commonly known as simply The Players, stylized by the PGA Tour as The PLAYERS Championship) is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, it began in 1974. The P ...

and the five PGA Tour events leading up to and including the 2012

Greenbrier Classic The Greenbrier Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held from 2010 to 2019 at The Old White at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. For its final two editions, the tournament was titled A Military Tribute at the Greenb ...

Marc Leishman Marc Leishman (born 24 October 1983) is an Australian professional golfer. He has won six times on the PGA Tour. In 2009 he won the Rookie of the Year award on the PGA Tour, the first Australian to win the award. Career Leishman was born in W ...

, Ted Potter Jr. 19. The leading player, not exempt having applied above, in the first 5 and ties of each of the 2012

and the 2012 John Deere Classic

Troy Kelly Troy Kelly (born August 2, 1978) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Amateur career Kelly became the youngest player to ever compete in Washington State Junior Golf Association (WJGA) tournaments at the age of 6. He was ...

Troy Matteson Troy Jason Matteson (born November 8, 1979) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Amateur career Matteson was born in Rockledge, Florida. He played college golf at Georgia Tech and won the NCAA Individual Championship in ...

20. Playing members of the 2011 Presidents Cup teams

Robert Allenby Robert Allenby (born 12 July 1971) is an Australian professional golfer. Early years Allenby was born on 12 July 1971 in Melbourne, Victoria. His father had emigrated to Australia from Leeds, UK as a young man. Professional career He turned p ...

Retief Goosen Retief Goosen (born 3 February 1969) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He has won two U.S. Opens, in 2001 and 2004, headed the European Tour Order of Merit in 2001 and 2002, and was in the top ten of th ...

Ryo Ishikawa , also known by the nickname , is a Japanese professional golfer. Amateur career On 20 May 2007, Ishikawa became the youngest winner ever of a men's regular tournament on the Japan Golf Tour by winning the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup at the age 15 ...

Kim Kyung-tae Kim Kyung-tae ( ko, 김경태; born 2 September 1986), also known as K.T. Kim, is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the Asian and Japan Golf Tours. Career He won several tournaments as an amateur, including the 2006 Japan Amateu ...

21. First place on the 2011

Asian Tour The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. Official money events on the tour count for Wor ...

Order of Merit

Juvic Pagunsan Juvic Pagunsan (born 11 May 1978) is a professional golfer from the Philippines who plays on the Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Tour. He won the 2007 Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational on the Asian Tour and the 2021 Gateway to The Open ...

22. First place on the 2011

PGA Tour of Australasia The PGA Tour of Australasia, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, is a professional golf tour for men, owned and operated by the PGA of Australia. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ra ...

Order of Merit

Greg Chalmers Greg J. Chalmers (born 11 October 1973) is an Australian professional golfer. Chalmers has played primarily on the PGA Tour of Australasia and PGA Tour. He is a two-time winner of the Australian Open and late in his career eventually won a PGA T ...

23. First place on the 2011

Sunshine Tour The Sunshine Tour is a men's professional golf tour based in Southern and East Africa. For much of its early history it was known either as the South African Tour or Sunshine Circuit; through sponsorship deals, it has also been known as the Vod ...

Order of Merit

Garth Mulroy Garth David Mulroy (born 8 July 1978) is a South African professional golfer. Amateur career Mulroy was born in Durban. He attended college in the United States at North Carolina State University, where he was an NCAA Division I All-American ...

24. The 2011 Japan Open Champion 25. First 2, not exempt, on the Official Money List of the

Japan Golf Tour The Japan Golf Tour ( ja, 日本ゴルフツアー機構) is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third-highest annual prize fund out of the regular (that is not for seniors) men's professional tours after th ...

for 2011

Tadahiro Takayama is a Japanese professional golfer. Takayama was born in Wakayama. He took up golf at eighteen, an unusually advanced age for a future professional, and turned pro three years later. He made his mark by winning the 2001 PGA Rookie Pro Tournamen ...

Toru Taniguchi is a Japanese professional golfer born in Nara. Career Taniguchi has won 20 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, ranking 10th on the most career victories list; topped the annual earnings list in 2002 and 2007; and is fourth on the career ear ...

26. The leading 4 players, not exempt, in the 2012

Mizuno Open The is a professional golf tournament played in Japan. Founded in 1971, it has been a Japan Golf Tour event since 1979. Since 1998, the event has been prefixed , with the top finishers gaining exemptions into The Open Championship. The Mizuno Ope ...

Hiroyuki Fujita,

Brad Kennedy Brad Kennedy (born 18 June 1974) is an Australian professional golfer. He has won three times on the Japan Golf Tour and five times on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Professional career Kennedy turned professional in 1994.

Toshinori Muto Toshinori Muto (born 10 March 1978) is a Japanese professional golfer. Muto was born in Gunma Prefecture. He currently plays on the Japan Golf Tour where he has won seven times between 2006 and 2019. Professional wins (7) Japan Golf Tour wins ...

Koumei Oda is a Japanese professional golfer. Career Oda was born in Tagawa, Fukuoka. He turned professional in 2000. Oda won the 2008 Casio World Open and the 2009 Token Homemate Cup. He competed in the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry, but failed t ...

27. First 2 and anyone tying for 2nd place, not exempt having applied (26) above, in a cumulative money list taken from all official 2012

events up to and including the 2012

Yoshinori Fujimoto Yoshinori Fujimoto (born 25 October 1989) is a Japanese professional golfer. As an amateur, Fujimoto won the individual silver medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade and led the Japan team to the gold medal. Fujimoto turned professional in 2012 ...

, Brendan Jones 28. The

Senior British Open The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open (and originally known as the Senior British Open) is a professional golf tournament for players aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Pr ...

Champion for 2011 *

Russ Cochran Russell Earl Cochran (born October 31, 1958) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions, having previously been a member on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He is one of the few natural left-handed players to wi ...

did not compete. 29. The 2012

Amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...

Champion

Alan Dunbar Alan Dunbar (born 30 April 1990) is a Northern Irish professional golfer who won the 2012 Amateur Championship at Royal Troon. His home club is Rathmore Golf Club near Portrush, County Antrim. Dunbar won the Ulster Youths Amateur Open in 2008 ...

(a) 30. The 2011

U.S. Amateur The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...

Champion *

Kelly Kraft Kelly Kraft (born October 5, 1988) is an American professional golfer. Amateur career Kraft was born in Denton, Texas. During his final year at Billy Ryan High School, 2006–07, Kraft served as team captain while earning All-District honors. ...

forfeited his invitation by turning pro in April 2012. 31. The 2011 European Individual Amateur Champion
Manuel Trappel (a) 32. The Mark H. McCormack Medal winner for 2011. *

Patrick Cantlay Patrick Cantlay (born March 17, 1992) is an American professional golfer. He had a successful amateur career and was the number one golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour as well as the 2021 ...

forfeited his exemption by turning professional in June 2012. International Final Qualifying :Australasia:

Nick Cullen Nick Cullen (born 10 April 1984) is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Cullen played on the Canadian Tour in 2010 and has played on the PGA Tour of Australasia since 2011. He earned his first professio ...

, Ashley Hall,

Aaron Townsend Aaron Townsend (born 4 July 1981) is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour of Australasia. He has also played a number of events on the European Tour, Challenge Tour and Web.com Tour. Professional career Townsend turned pr ...

:Africa:

Adilson da Silva Adilson José da Silva (born 24 January 1972) is a Brazilian professional golfer. He currently plays on the European Senior Tour and the Sunshine Tour, where he has won twelve times. Career Da Silva was born in Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil but late ...

, Andrew Georgiou, Grant Veenstra :Asia:

Kodai Ichihara is a Japanese professional golfer who plays on the Japan Golf Tour. Ichihara had his first win on the tour in June 2018, the Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup Shishido Hills. Previously his best finish is T-2 at the 2016 Gateway ...

Anirban Lahiri Anirban Lahiri (born 29 June 1987) is an Indian professional golfer. He has played on the Asian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Lahiri is recipient of the 2014 Arjuna Award. He is also recipient of "Sera Bangali" award (in 2015), g ...

Mardan Mamat Mardan Mamat (born 31 October 1967) is a Singaporean professional golfer. Mamat was born in Singapore. He turned professional in 1994. Mamat plays on the Asian Tour, where he won for the first time at the 2004 Royal Challenge Indian Open. In 2 ...

Prayad Marksaeng Prayad Marksaeng ( th, ประหยัด มากแสง; born 30 January 1966) is a Thai professional golfer. Career Prayad was a member of Thailand's winning golf team at the 1987 South East Asian Games and turned professional in 1991. ...

:America:

Stephen Ames Stephen Michael Ames (born April 28, 1964) is a professional golfer formerly of the PGA Tour, who now plays on the PGA Tour Champions. The biggest win of his career was at The Players Championship in 2006. He holds dual citizenship of Trinidad an ...

Daniel Chopra Daniel Samir Chopra (born 23 December 1973) is a Swedish professional golfer. Chopra was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He represents Sweden and his mother was Swedish, but his father was Indian and Daniel moved to India at age seven where he was r ...

James Driscoll James Driscoll (born October 9, 1977) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour. Amateur career Driscoll was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest of seven children. He grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, outside ...

Harris English Harris English (born July 23, 1989) is an American professional golfer and currently a member of the PGA Tour. Amateur career Born in Valdosta, Georgia, English attended The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for high school, graduating ...

Bob Estes Bob Alan Estes (born February 2, 1966) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He was previously a member of the PGA Tour, where he was a four-time champion. Early life and amateur career Estes was born in Graham ...

, Justin Hicks, Greg Owen,

Andrés Romero Andrés Fabián Romero (born 8 May 1981) is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the PGA Tour and European Tour. Career Romero was born in Tucumán. He won his European Tour card by finishing 14th on the Challenge Tour rankings i ...

:Europe:

Matthew Baldwin Matthew David Baldwin (born 26 February 1986) is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Baldwin was captain of the England Boys side before turning professional in 2008. In 2009 he played on the third-tier Alps Tour and ...

Alejandro Cañizares José Alejandro Cañizares Gómez (born 9 January 1983) is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Career Cañizares was born in Madrid, and is the son of five-time European Tour winner and four-time European Ryder Cup tea ...

Jamie Donaldson James Ross Donaldson (born 19 October 1975) is a Welsh professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. Professional career Donaldson was born in Pontypridd. He turned professional in 2000. Having failed to come through the European Tour ...

, Richard Finch,

Ross Fisher Ross Daniel Fisher (born 22 November 1980) is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, where he has won five times, including the 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Spain. Early life F ...

, Marcus Fraser, James Morrison,

Thorbjørn Olesen Jacob Thorbjørn Olesen (born 21 December 1989) is a Danish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, where he has won six times including the 2016 Turkish Airlines Open and the 2018 Italian Open. He has also won two important pairs eve ...

Lee Slattery Lee Andrew Slattery (born 3 August 1978) is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. He has won twice on the tour, the 2011 Bankia Madrid Masters and the 2015 M2M Russian Open. Professional career Slattery turned profess ...

, Sam Walker Local Final Qualifying :Hillside:

Warren Bennett Warren Bennett (born 20 August 1971) is an English professional golfer. Career Bennett was born in Ashford, Surrey and is the son of former footballer Peter Bennett. In 1994, he won the Australian Amateur and was the leading amateur at The Ope ...

, Steven Tiley,

Dale Whitnell Dale Whitnell (born 9 August 1988) is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. He won the 2023 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed. Amateur career Whitnell had a successful amateur career and he won the 2006 Abu Dhabi Junior Gol ...

:Southport & Ainsdale:

Ian Keenan Ian Keenan (born 14 October) is an Australian radio announcer and creator of the website Hitstories.net. Radio His is a long career which began in 1979. Keenan has been a broadcaster for radio stations in Murray Bridge, South Australia (5MU); M ...

Morten Ørum Madsen Morten Ørum Madsen (born 9 April 1988) is a Danish professional golfer. He played on the European Tour from 2013 to 2016, winning the South African Open Championship in late 2013. Early life and amateur career Madsen was born in Silkeborg. He to ...

Elliot Saltman Elliot Saltman (born 24 March 1982) is a Scottish professional golfer. He is affiliated to Archerfield Links. Saltman was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the brother of Lloyd Saltman and the grandson of former Hibernian goalkeeper Tommy Y ...

:St Annes Old Links:

Paul Broadhurst Paul Andrew Broadhurst (born 14 August 1965) is an English professional golfer. He won six times on the European Tour and played in the 1991 Ryder Cup. Since turning 50, he has had success in senior events, winning the 2016 Senior Open Champi ...

Rafael Echenique Rafael Echenique (born 18 October 1980) is an Argentine professional golfer. Early life and amateur career Echenique was born in San Luis, Argentina. He won the Argentine Amateur Rankings in 1997/98. Professional career Echenique turned pro in ...

Barry Lane Barry Douglas Lane (21 June 1960 – 31 December 2022) was an English professional golfer. He won five official European Tour events between 1988 and 2004. He played in the 1993 Ryder Cup and won the inaugural Andersen Consulting World Champio ...

:West Lancashire:

Steven Alker Steven Craig Alker (born 28 July 1971) is a professional golfer from New Zealand who plays on the PGA Tour Champions, where he has won five events. He won the season-long 2022 Charles Schwab Cup on the PGA Tour Champions. Early life and profess ...

, Steven O'Hara,

Scott Pinckney Scott Pinckney (born March 13, 1989) is an American professional golfer who has played on the European Tour, Challenge Tour, Web.com Tour, and PGA Tour. Amateur career Pinckney was born in Orem, Utah. He attended Boulder Creek High School in ...

* ''(a) denotes amateur'' Twenty players were appearing in their first major championship:

, Andrew Georgiou, Ashley Hall,

, Steven O'Hara,

, Ted Potter Jr.,

, Manuel Trappel, Grant Veenstra, and

. A further 12 players were appearing in their first

, Justin Hicks,

, James Morrison,

, Michael Thompson,

, and Sam Walker. Notable absences included

(who had appeared in the previous 17 Opens) and Henrik Stenson (who had appeared in the previous seven). Alternates
Where places are available to make up the full entry of 156, these additional places are allocated in ranking order from the

. The alternates are allocated when it becomes clear that additional places are available (using the latest World Rankings), except that places allocated after the issue of Week 27 rankings (9 July) use those rankings. After the final qualifying events on 15 July there were 157 qualified players. The withdrawal of

reduced the field size to the usual 156.

then withdrew and was replaced by Michael Thompson (ranked 56), as

Ben Crane Benjamin McCully Crane (born March 6, 1976) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Early years and amateur career Crane was born in Portland, Oregon. He was introduced to golf at age five by his grandfather. He grew up play ...

(ranked 54) chose not to travel.

Round summaries

First round

''Thursday, 19 July 2012'' The weather conditions during the first day of the tournament turned out to be less harsh than expected, with very little wind and cloudy skies. Adam Scott made eight birdies and only two bogeys en route to a 6-under-par 64, tying the course record.

shot a 3-under 67, hitting all but one fairway in regulation.

Second round

''Friday, 20 July 2012'' Some rain showers wet the course overnight and in the early morning hours, but the calm conditions continued into day two of the tournament.

fired a bogey-free round of 64 to vault to the top of the leaderboard, one shot ahead of Adam Scott, who shot 67.

, for the second straight round, only missed one fairway in regulation and shot another 3-under 67, including a holed green-side bunker shot for birdie on the 18th hole, to enter the weekend trailing the lead by four shots. Tom Watson, at 62 years of age, set a new record as the oldest player to make the cut in the history of the Open Championship, beating his own record set in 2011. For the first time since 2003, no amateurs made the halfway cut. Amateurs:

Dunbar Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and gave its name to an ecc ...

(+6), Trappel (+17).

Third round

''Saturday, 21 July 2012'' In the third round, leader

faltered by shooting a 73 (3-over-par) to move him down to a tie for second with

, who rose up to second place with a score of 67 (3-under-par). Adam Scott, who entered the round one stroke behind Snedeker, shot a 68 (two under par) to move to eleven strokes under par, retaking the lead from Snedeker.

shot an even par of 70 to stay at six strokes under par, moving him to fourth place behind Scott, McDowell, and Snedeker.

scored the first

hole in one In golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one (also known as an ace, mostly in American English) occurs when a ball hit from a tee to start a hole finishes in the cup. A ball hit from a tee following a lost ball, out-of-bounds, or water hazard is not a ho ...

of the Championship at the 9th hole.

Final round

''Sunday, 22 July 2012'' In the fourth and final round, leader Adam Scott got off to a poor start on the front nine holes by scoring a 36 (2-over-par), bringing his score to nine-under par.

, and

entered the round within striking distance of Scott, but each faltered and sank out of contention. McDowell shot a 75 (five-over-par), and fell to a tie for fifth with

. Snedeker double-bogeyed the seventh and eighth holes, leading to a final round score of 74 (4-over-par), in a tie for third with Woods. Woods had trouble with a greenside bunker on the sixth hole, and triple-bogeyed the hole which he had birdied in each of the three previous rounds. Woods scored a 73 to put him into a tie for third with Snedeker. Despite two bogeys on the front nine,

got back to even par for the round with a birdie at the 12th hole and then birdied the 14th. Scott also birdied the 14th but bogeyed the next three to leave him at 7-under, tied with Els, who had birdied the final hole. On the tournament's 72nd hole, Scott put his tee shot into a bunker and had to exit sideways to the fairway. His third shot left him an par-saving putt to force a playoff, but it missed to the left. Els was bogey-free on the back nine with four birdies to card a 32 (−4) and win by one stroke.

Scorecard

''Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par'' Source:

Notes and references

External links

Royal Lytham and St Annes 2012 (Official site)
* ttp://www.pga.com/openchampionship/2012 2012 Open Championship (PGA of America) {{coord, 53.7495, -3.018, type:event, display=title The Open Championship Golf tournaments in England