The Open: 15 players secure last-minute invites to Royal Birkdale

The field for the 2026 Open Championship is almost complete. 

Golf's oldest major heads to Royal Birkdale next week for the 154th edition of the major. 

World number one Scottie Scheffler returns to defend the Claret Jug 12 months after adding the third leg of the career grand slam at Royal Portrush. 

As things stand, a total of 150 players are have secured their spots in the 156-man field. 

On Tuesday, tournament organisers confirmed 15 more players were added by virtue of the standing in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). 

Among them were LIV Golf players Thomas Detry and David Puig, who managed to hold onto their spots in the OWGR. 

Multiple PGA Tour winner and former world number five, Max Homa, was also added to the field. 

Homa's addition arrived courtesy of Ben Kohles missing a putt inside three feet on the final hole of last week's John Deere Classic. 

Had Kohles sank the putt he would've finished in a share of second at TPC Deere Run and Homa would've been on the alternate list for The Open.  

Take a look below to see who else secured their places. 

The Open Championship latest additions:

1. Sam Stevens
2. Nicolas Echavarria
3. Pierceson Coody
4. Ryo Hisatsune
5. Michael Brennan
6. David Puig
7. Tom Kim
8. Eric Cole
9. Keith Mitchell
10. Matt Wallace
11. Sami Valimaki
12. Max Homa
13. Thomas Detry
14. Max Greyserman
15. Sahith Theegala

South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter and Germany's Matti Schmid are on the reserve list. 

The final places in the 2026 Open field will be determined this week. 

Three places are available at the Genesis Scottish Open and will go to the three highest-finishing players not already exempt. 

The $9m Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour schedule marks the final event of the Open Qualifying Series. 

Elsewhere, a new Last-Chance Qualifier will be held on 13 July. 

One player will qualify for The Open after a 12-player, 18-hole shootout at Royal Birkdale. 

The field will be made up of the top-two non-qualified players in the OWGR, the runner-up of the Amateur Championship and competitors who lost in playoffs at Final Qualifying.