The Players / Exempt Players

The following players are exempt from regional and final qualifying for The 137th Open Championship in 2008. Click the definitions below to view the current list of entrants in each category.


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Category 1

First 10 and anyone tying for 10th place in the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie

Category 2

Past Open Champions born between 20 July 1942 and 19 July 1948

Category 3

Past Open Champions aged 60 or under on 20 July 2008

Category 4

The Open Champions for 1998-2007

Category 5

First 20 in the PGA European Tour Final Order of Merit for 2007

Category 6

The BMW PGA Championship winners for 2006-2008

Category 7

The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2008

Category 8

First 3 and anyone tying for 3rd place, not exempt having applied F(7) above, in the top 20 of the PGA European Tour Order of Merit for 2008 on completion of the 2008 BMW PGA Championship

Category 9

First 2 European Tour members and any European Tour members tying for 2nd place, not exempt, in a cumulative money list taken from all official PGA European Tour events from OWGR Week 19 up to and including the Open de France ALSTOM and including The US Open. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 10

The leading player, not exempt having applied F(9) above, in the first 5 and ties of each of the 2008 European Open and the 2008 Barclays Scottish Open. Ties will be decided by the better final round score and, if still tied, by the better third round score and then by the better second round score. If still tied, a hole by hole card play-off will take place starting at the 18th hole of the final round. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 11

The US Open Champions for 2004-2008. Blank entry will be made on behalf of the 2008 Champion

Category 12

The US Masters Champions for 2004-2008

Category 13

The USPGA Champions for 2003-2007

Category 14

The USPGA TOUR PLAYERS Champions for 2006-2008

Category 15

First 20 on the Official Money List of the USPGA TOUR for 2007

Category 16

First 3 and anyone tying for 3rd place, not exempt having applied F(7) above, in the top 20 of the Official Money List of the USPGA TOUR for 2008 on completion of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

Category 17

First 2 USPGA TOUR members and any USPGA TOUR members tying for 2nd place, not exempt, in a cumulative money list taken from the USPGA TOUR PLAYERS Championship and the five USPGA TOUR events leading up to and including the 2008 AT&T National. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 18

The leading player, not exempt having applied F(17) above, in the first 5 and ties of each of the 2008 AT&T National and the 2008 John Deere Classic. Ties will be decided by the better final round score and, if still tied, by the better third round score and then by the better second round score. If still tied, a hole by hole card play-off will take place starting at the 18th hole of the final round. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 19

Playing members of the 2007 Presidents Cup teams

Category 20

First and anyone tying for 1st place on the Order of Merit of the Asian Tour for 2007

Category 21

First 2 and anyone tying for 2nd place on the Order of Merit of the Tour of Australasia for 2007

Category 22

First and anyone tying for 1st place on the Order of Merit of the Southern Africa PGA Sunshine Tour for 2007

Category 23

The Canadian Open Champion for 2007

Category 24

The Japan Open Champion for 2007

Category 25

First 2 and anyone tying for 2nd place, not exempt, on the Official Money List of the Japan Golf Tour for 2007

Category 26

The leading 4 players, not exempt, in the 2008 Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic. Ties will be decided by the better final round score and, if still tied, by the better third round score and then by the better second round score. If still tied, a hole by hole card play-off will take place starting at the 18th hole of the final round. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 27

First 2 and anyone tying for 2nd place, not exempt having applied F(26) above, in a cumulative money list taken from all official Japan Golf Tour events from the 2008 Japan PGA Championship up to and including the 2008 Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic. Blank entries will be made on behalf of players qualifying in this category

Category 28

The Senior Open Champion for 2007

Category 29

The Amateur Champion for 2008. Blank entry will be made on behalf of the champion

Category 30

The US Amateur Champion for 2007

Category 31

The European Individual Amateur Champion for 2007

International Final Qualifying - Africa


International Final Qualifying - Australasia


International Final Qualifying - Asia


International Final Qualifying - America


International Final Qualifying - Europe


Local Final Qualifying - HILLSIDE


Local Final Qualifying - SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE


Local Final Qualifying - WEST LANCASHIRE


    F(29) to F(31) are only applicable if the entrant concerned is still an amateur on 17 July 2008.

Category 1

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Steve STRICKER

Ernie ELS

KJ CHOI

Padraig HARRINGTON

Stewart CINK

Andres ROMERO

Richard GREEN

Hunter MAHAN


Category 2

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Tom WATSON


Category 3

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Tom LEHMAN

Sandy LYLE

Justin LEONARD

Paul LAWRIE

Padraig HARRINGTON

Ernie ELS

John DALY


Category 4

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Ernie ELS

Padraig HARRINGTON

Paul LAWRIE

Mark O'MEARA


Category 5

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Richard STERNE

Graeme STORM

Paul CASEY

S¢ren KJELDSEN

Colin MONTGOMERIE

Andres ROMERO

Padraig HARRINGTON

Nick DOUGHERTY

Ernie ELS

Retief GOOSEN

Angel CABRERA

Lee WESTWOOD

Gregory HAVRET


Category 6

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David HOWELL


Category 8

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Soren HANSEN


Category 9

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Woody AUSTIN


Category 11

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Angel CABRERA

Geoff OGILVY

Michael CAMPBELL

Retief GOOSEN


Category 12

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Trevor IMMELMAN

Zach JOHNSON


Category 13

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Vijay SINGH


Category 15

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Steve STRICKER

Vijay SINGH

Charles HOWELL III

Ernie ELS

KJ CHOI

Woody AUSTIN

Aaron BADDELEY

Hunter MAHAN

Adam SCOTT

Rory SABBATINI

Scott VERPLANK


Category 19

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Scott VERPLANK

Rory SABBATINI

Adam SCOTT

Hunter MAHAN

Stewart CINK

Trevor IMMELMAN

Nick O'HERN

Ernie ELS

Charles HOWELL III

Retief GOOSEN

KJ CHOI

Geoff OGILVY

Steve STRICKER

Vijay SINGH

David TOMS

Stuart APPLEBY


Category 20

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Wen-Chong LIANG


Category 21

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David SMAIL

Craig PARRY


Category 22

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James KINGSTON


Category 25

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Brendan JONES


Category 28

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Tom WATSON


International Final Qualifying - Africa

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Joshua CUNLIFFE

Darren FICHARDT

Douglas McGUIGAN

Hennie OTTO


International Final Qualifying - Australasia

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Peter FOWLER

Andrew Tampion

Brad LAMB

Ewan PORTER


International Final Qualifying - Asia

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Adam BLYTH

Chih Bing LAM

Angelo Que

Danny CHIA



Patrons of the Open Championship
2007 Future Venues

2008 Tickets

2006 R&A Golf development

posplayersholespar
1Padraig HARRINGTON18-7
2Sergio GARCIA18-7
3Andres ROMERO18-6
T4Richard GREEN18-5
T4Ernie ELS18-5
T6Hunter MAHAN18-4
T6Stewart CINK18-4
T8Ben CURTIS18-3
T8Mike WEIR18-3
T8KJ CHOI18-3