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It’s been quite a month for James Nicholas.
Just three weeks ago, the 29-year-old battled through 36 holes of U.S. Open qualifying on Golf’s Longest Day to get into the championship at Shinnecock Hills. For his efforts, the USGA gave him the honour of hitting the first tee shot early Thursday in his native New York.
Nicholas shot 71-72 to make the cut and tied for 65th place.
On Tuesday in England, Nicholas again slashed his way through 36 holes of qualifying, but this time it was for the British Open at Royal Birkdale. He shot 65-67 at Burnham & Berrow to take medalist honours at 10-under total and will play in his first Open.
“Today was a battle,” Nicholas said. “Got off to a really, really good start, and then it was kind of, hold on, on that back side. But I love links golf.
“I’ve been saying this week, it’s almost like a religious experience.”
Nicholas collected his first Korn Ferry Tour title earlier this year in Colombia and is 16th on the tour’s points list, putting him in position to collect a PGA Tour card at the end of the season. But for now, he’ll only worry about playing in his second major championship this summer.
Caleb Surratt, Tom Sloman, amateur Alejandro De Castro Piera and Austen Truslow are the other four who qualified from Burnham & Berrow. LIV golfers Marc Leishman and Anirban Lahiri are among the notables who missed.
The Bryan Brothers, Wesley and George of YouTube fame, were both in the field at West Lancashire in Liverpool, England. Both men shot 70 in the opening round to sit squarely in the mix.
Wesley Bryan during final qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club. Cameron Smith/R&A
George shot 72 in the second round and was well off the pace at the end. Wesley, however, was right on the number playing the 36th and final hole and failed to get up and down for par, missing a six-footer that would’ve put him in a playoff for the final spot. His 70-67 for a seven-under total ended with him tied for eighth place.
The playoff went on without Wesley, leaving amateur Sam Easterbrook, Joe Dean and Matthew Jordan to decide the final qualifying position. The trio each made par the first time around, then Jordan ended it by hitting his approach to a couple inches on the second playoff hole. The 30-year-old Englishman has played in each of the four previous Opens and tied for 10th place in both 2023 and 2024.
“Days like this are long,” Jordan said. “But this makes it all worthwhile.”
This is the magic of Final Qualifying.
Matthew Jordan delivers when it matters most to secure his place in The 154th Open. pic.twitter.com/VtGKJHS1Ha
— The Open (@TheOpen) June 30, 2026
Sam Bairstow shot 66-68 and was the medalist at West Lancashire at 10-under total. Kazuma Kobori, Jose Ballester and Tiger Christensen rounded out the qualifiers from there.
Scoring was not quite as low at Dundonald Links in Troon, Scotland. Jack McDonald, a Scot, topped all players after shooting 70-69 for a five-under total. Matthew Baldwin, amateur David Howard, amateur Nevill Ruiter and Marcus Plunkett were the remaining qualifiers from Dundonald.
Norway’s Baard Bjoernevik Skogen followed a 68 with a 64 and MJ Daffue shot 67-65 to lead all qualifiers at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal, England. Matthew Southgate, LIV golf’s Peter Uihlein and Antoine Rozner rounded out the list of those who qualified, while Thriston Lawrence, Thomas Detry and amateur Luke Poulter were among the notables who did not get through.
Southgate shot 66 in the second round to get in at third place. Now 37, the Englishman will be playing in his seventh British Open, but his best performance came at Royal Birkdale back in 2017 when Jordan Spieth won the claret jug. Southgate birdied three of the last five holes to shoot 65 that Sunday and tied for sixth place.
“It’s absolutely mind-bending the emotions you go through,” Southgate said Tuesday after qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports.
Then he left those standing nearby with these final words: “See you all at Birkdale.”
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Main Image: Alex Burstow/R&A
