The Field
The standard field size is 144 players. An 18-hole qualifying round is held at the championship course on the Monday before the tournament, with a minimum of 24 places available. If fewer than 120 exempt players (see below) enter, the field will be filled to 144 with more high finishers from qualifying. If more than 120 exempt players enter, the top 24 finishers earn entry even if it causes the field to expand beyond 144. If an exempt player withdraws before the start of the tournament, his place will be filled by an alternate who participated in the qualifying round.
Currently, the following players are exempt from qualifying for The Senior Open, provided they are 50 years old as of the opening day of the tournament. Amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament.
- Any past winner of The Senior Open Championship
- Past winners of any of the major championships or The Players Championship
- Winners of the European Tour Order of Merit (now Race to Dubai) in first five years of age eligibility
- Winners of the BMW PGA Championship in first five years of age eligibility
- Top 30 from the previous year's European Senior Tour Order of Merit
- Top 50 from the European Senior Tour all-time money list as of the start of the tournament
- Top 30 from the previous year's Champions Tour money list
- Top 50 from the Champions Tour all-time money list as of the start of the tournament
- Top 15 finishers, plus ties, from the previous year's Senior Open Championship
- Winners of official events on the European Senior Tour and Champions Tour in the previous two years (starting with the first tournaments after The Senior Open Championship of two years prior)
- Winners of official events on the European Tour, PGA Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Japan Golf Tour, and Sunshine Tour in first year of age eligibility
- Past members of Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup teams in first year of age eligibility
- Winners of the last five editions of all other events recognised as majors by the Champions Tour (Senior Players Championship, The Tradition, U.S. Senior Open, Senior PGA Championship)
- Current holder of the Japan PGA Senior Championship
- Current Japan Senior Open champion
- Top four players, not already exempt, in the top 40 of the current year's European Senior Tour Order of Merit as of the start of the tournament
- Top eight players, not already exempt, in the top 75 of the current year's Champions Tour money list as of the start of the tournament
- Current Seniors Open Amateur Champion
- Current U.S. Senior Amateur champion
- Leading amateur in the previous year's Senior Open Championship who completed 72 holes
- The Championship Committee may award special exemptions.
Read more about this topic: Senior British Open Championship
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