Three past Open Championship winners lead area contingent at Royal Birkdale

[ASFN Admin]

The First Coast and Georgia's Golden Isles will be sending a sizable contingent of players to the 154th Open Championship, July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale, in Southport, England.

The group is led by three past champions: Jacksonville native David Duval (2001, Royal Lytham and St. Annes), Cameron Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach (2022, St. Andrews) and Brian Harman of St. Simons Island, Ga. (2023, Royal Liverpool).

Duval, now with the PGA Tour Champions, will make his 25th start in the Open, and his first since 2022. Harman, Harris English of St. Simons Island and Billy Horschel of Ponte Vedra Beach are all making their 11th starts in golf's oldest championship.

You must be registered for see images attach

At the other end of the experience spectrum will be Nease graduate Marcus Plunkett, who has been playing on the Asian Tour, Michael Brennan of Jacksonville and Michael Thorbjornsen of Jacksonville. They are playing in their first British Open and in Plunkett's case, his first major.

Ludvig Åberg, Nocatee​

Primary qualification category: Top 30, 2025 FedEx Cup.

Open history: Third start, 1 of 2 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 23rd, 2025 at Royal Portrush.

Michael Brennan, Jacksonville​

Primary qualification category: Top 50 World Golf Ranking as of July 5.

Open history: First start.

Bud Cauley, Jacksonville​

Primary qualification category: Won 2026 RBC Canadian Open.

Open history: Third start, 1 of 2 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 32nd, 2013, Muirfield.

David Duval, Jacksonville​

Primary qualification category: Past winner.

Open history: 25th start, 11 of 24 cuts made.

Best finish: Won in 2001 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

You must be registered for see images attach

Harris English, St. Simons Island, Ga.​

Primary qualification category: Top 10, 2025 British Open.

Open history: 11th start, 7 of 10 cuts made.

Best finish: 2nd in 2025 at Royal Portrush.

Brian Harman, St. Simons Island, Ga.​

Primary qualification category: Past winner.

Open history: 11th start, 6 of 10 cuts made.

Best finish: Won in 2023 at Royal Liverpool.

Billy Horschel, Ponte Vedra Beach​

Primary qualification category: Won 2024 BMW PGA Championship.

Open history: 11th start, 4 of 10 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 2nd, 2024 at Royal Troon.

Keith Mitchell, St. Simons Island, Ga.​

Primary qualification category: Top 50 World Golf Ranking as of July 5.

Open history: Fourth start, 0 of 3 cuts made.

Andrew Novak, St. Simons Island, Ga.​

Primary qualification category: Top 30, 2025 FedEx Cup.

Open history: Second start, 1-1 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 63rd, 2025 at Royal Portrush.

Marcus Plunkett, Ponte Vedra Beach​

Primary qualification category: Tied for fourth, Dundonald Links qualifier.

Open history: First start.

J.T. Poston, St. Simons Island, Ga.​

Primary qualification category: Won 2026 Memorial.

Open history: Fifth start, 1 of 4 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 41st, 2023 at Royal Liverpool.

Aaron Rai, Jacksonville​

Primary qualification category: Won 2026 PGA.

Open history: Fifth start, 1 of 4 cuts made.

Best finish: Tied for 19th, 2021 at Royal St. George's.

Cameron Smith, Ponte Vedra Beach​

Primary qualification category: Past winner.

Open history: Ninth start, 5 of 8 cuts made.

Best finish: Won in 2022 at St. Andrews.

You must be registered for see images attach

Michael Thorbjornsen, Jacksonville​

Primary qualification category: Tied for seventh, 2026 Scottish Open.

Open history: First start.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Three past Open Championship winners lead area contingent at Royal Birkdale

Continue reading...