Qualification / International Final Qualifying

Overview

International Final Qualifying (IFQ) events for The Open Championship were introduced in 2004 and are held on five continents to give more players from around the world the chance to gain direct entry into golf's oldest championship.

IFQ for the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale will be held as follows:

Africa - Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, South Africa, January 15-16; Australasia - The Lakes, Sydney, Australia, February 5; Asia - Sentosa, Singapore, March 25-26; America - TPC Michigan/Dearborn, Michigan, USA, June 30 and Europe - Sunningdale, Berkshire, England, June 30.

Click on the links below to view full details and current entry list for each venue. Scroll down to read more about eligibility and the qualification procedure.

IFQ is open to players holding Official World Golf Ranking points who have not gained exemption into the Championship by any other qualification. The field for each IFQ is limited to 120 players and if the entry exceeds this number, players with the highest world ranking will gain the places. Players are free to choose any of the five international venues irrespective of where they normally compete. Those players eligible include world ranked amateurs, who may enter IFQ or Local Final Qualifying (LFQ).

IFQ in Africa, Asia and Australasia will have four qualifying places. America carries six qualifying spots at each of the two courses, giving a total of 12 places, and Europe also has 12 qualifying spots.

IFQ is in addition to the 16 Regional Qualifying (RQ) competitions that are played in Great Britain and Ireland, and three LFQ events. There will be 12 guaranteed places from LFQ and those eligible can enter either IFQ or LFQ but not both.

The starting field for the Open will be 156.

IFQ Letters to competitors