Open Championship: 5 amateurs join the Royal Birkdale field

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Maverick McNealy Amateur Open Championship

HARTFORD, WI – JUNE 16: Amateur Maverick McNealy of the United States plays his shot from the fifth tee during the second round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 16, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Five amateurs join the ranks at the 2017 Open Championship. Can any of them challenge for the Claret Jug?

You can call them non-professionals, but to be an amateur competing in the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, a golfer must have another title affixed to his resume.

Champion.

Five amateur golfers are in this year’s field at The Open Championship—all by way of winning their place through various amateur championship exemptions.

While expectations and betting lines do not favor a Claret Jug over any one of their young heads this weekend, one could argue that winning any recent major amateur tournament can serve as momentum—even the signs of a winning pedigree.

Can an amateur really challenge for a Major title this weekend?

History suggests a daunting uphill climb, but more recent Majors offer reason for optimism.

Two years ago, the “Old Course” at St. Andrews saw new faces in contention.

Paul Dunne grabbed a share of the lead heading into the final round before shooting a 78. Dunne was the first amateur since 1927 to lead—or share it—at The Open. American Jordan Niebrugge finished tied for sixth at 11-under. Amateurs Ashley Chesters and Ollie Schniederjans both finished only two strokes behind Niebrugge.

Curtis Luck and Stewart Hagestad both hopped over the cut line at The Masters earlier this year. Hagestad fell short of the U.S. Open weekend by a half dozen strokes and Luck has since joined the ranks of the professionals.

Scottie Scheffler qualified for weekend golf at The U.S. Open last month, finishing tied for 27^th place with a 1-under for the tournament. That was one stroke better than amateur Cameron Champ, who entered Sunday in 17^th place before a final round 76 bumped him down the leaderboard.

Amateurs were shutout of the weekend at last year’s The Open Championship at Royal Troon. Scott Gregory finished 9-over and missed the cut. The only other amateur to participate in last year’s Claret Jug chase was Stefano Mazzoli, who finished at 12-over.

This year’s bunch is looking to pick up where 2015 left off.

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