2024 Senior Open Championship


The 2024 Senior Open Championship, by sponsor reasons named The Senior Open presented by Rolex, was a senior major golf championship for players aged 50 and over. It was the 37th Senior Open Championship. It was held 25–28 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. It was the 21st Senior Open Championship played as a senior major championship.

Venue

The 2024 event was the third Senior Open Championship played at the Carnoustie Golf Links. The previous event was in 2016, with Paul Broadhurst winning his first of two senior major championships.

Championship Course

Championship scorecard:
Length of the course for previous Senior Open Championships at Carnoustie Championship Course:
  • 2016: 7,345 yards, par 72
  • 2010: 7,297 yards, par 71

Field

The field of 154 competitors included 149 professionals and five amateurs, either exempt via different criteria or advancing from qualifying competitions.

Exemptions

130 exempt players, 127 professionals and three amateurs, participated.
Former winners of The Senior Open aged 65 or under
Former winners of the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship aged 65 or under
Top 60 players on the career money list
Top 60 players on the PGA Tour Champions all-time money list
The leading 20 players, not otherwise exempt on the closing date, on the Legends Tour Order of Merit for 2023
The leading 20 players, not otherwise exempt on the closing date, on the 2023 [PGA Tour Champions season|Charles Schwab Cup] points list for 2023
Players finishing in positions 1–15, and those tying for 15th place, in the 2023 Senior Open Championship
Winners of official tournaments on the Legends Tour or PGA Tour Champions since The 2023 Senior Open
Winners of official tournaments on the European Tour or PGA Tour, when aged 50 years on 24 July 2024
Past members of Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup teams aged 50 on 24 July 2024
Winners of the Senior PGA Championship 2019–2024
The leading two players, not otherwise exempt, in the top 10 of the Japan PGA Senior Tour money list for 2023
The first four players, and those tying for 4th place, who are not otherwise exempt, in the top 30 of the current Legends Tour Order of Merit
The Senior Amateur champion for 2024
  • Todd White
The European Senior Men’s Amateur champion for 2023

Qualifying

24 places were available to players not qualified under the exemption categories.
One 18-hole stroke play qualifying event took place on 8 July, at Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio, United States, where 137 players competed for five places and three alternate spots. Six places came available, why the first alternate also qualified.
Four 18-hole stroke play qualifying events took place on Monday 22 July at four venues in Scotland; Downfield Golf Club in Dundee, Panmure Golf Club in Carnoustie, the Medal Course at Monifieth Golf Links and 1562 course at Montrose Golf Links.

Qualifying competitions and qualifiers

8 July at Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio, United States
22 July at Downfield Golf Club, Dundee, Panmure Golf Club, Carnoustie, the Medal Course at Monifieth Golf Links and 1562 course at Montrose Golf Links
  • Barry Austin, Notah Begay III, Barry Conser, Hidetomo Sato, Roderick Bastard
22 July at Panmure Golf Club, Carnoustie
22 July at the Medal Course at Monifieth Golf Links
22 July at 1562 course at Montrose Golf Links

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, 25 July 2024
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Second round

Friday, 26 July 2024
74 players, all professionals, made the 36-hole cut at +7. Among notable players making the cut was the 1999 Open winner at Carnoustie Paul Lawrie, while the two players losing the playoff in 1999, Justin Leonard and Jean van de Velde, both missed the cut. The only other participating Open Championship winner at Carnoustie, the 2007 winner Pádraig Harrington, also made the cut.
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Third round

Saturday, 27 July 2024
K. J. Choi kept his solo lead after 54 holes, despite making two double bogeys in a row on holes 15 and 16. He finished the round with a birdie on the 18th hole. The best round of the day and of the best round of the tournament so far belonged to Arjun Atwal, who shot 67 and advanced to third place, two strokes behind the leader.
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Final round

Sunday, 28 July 2024
54-year-old K. J. Choi kept the lead he held after both the second and third round and won the tournament, becoming the first South Korean player to win a senior major championship, men or women. After birdies on the 12th and 13th holes and an eagle on the 14th hole, Choi reached a four-shot-lead. He finally finished two shots ahead of runner-up Richard Green, who played the last three holes 2 under par. Defending champion Alex Čejka finished tied 15th, 12 strokes behind the winner.
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