England’s Joe Dean claimed the top spot in the inaugural Last-Chance Qualifier to secure the final place in the field for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.
The winner-takes-all qualifier, a new event introduced for this year’s championship, saw 12 players chase their dream of playing in The Open by competing over 18 holes of the iconic Southport links.
The 32-year-old from Sheffield held his nerve for a one-shot victory in the warm and breezy conditions to seal the final spot in the 156-player field.
Designed to generate drama and excitement for fans, Dean carded a two-under-par 68 to triumph and earn a third appearance in the Championship – after previously playing all four rounds at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and Royal Troon in 2024.
The highlight of Dean’s round was an eagle at the par-5 14th, where he reached the green in two with a 6-iron from 250 yards, alongside birdies at the 7th and the 11th. Dean’s three closing pars proved crucial as he finished a stroke ahead of fellow Englishman Andrew Wilson. South African Aldrich Potgieter was third after a level-par 70.
Dean, who finished tied 25th at The Open in 2024, said, “It was great today. Any opportunity to get in The Open again, I’ll gladly turn up and play. I seem to play better in these one-day events. I don’t quite know why, the mentality of trying to keep the same throughout any round.
“To see the amount of people out here today, it’s been great. I think it has drawn a lot more people than you’d normally see on a Monday during Open week.
On his eagle, he added, “I just hit a really good drive down the middle, had 250 to the flag straight down wind and just probably hit the best 6-iron I’ve ever hit.”
The Last-Chance Qualifier was introduced after a survey of fans carried out by The R&A to research views and beliefs held about The Open revealed they would like more opportunities to watch live golf, celebrate the Championship’s unique traditions and enjoy activities which allow them to further engage with the sport onsite.
The first two reserves for The 154th Open are Aldrich Potgieter and Matti Schmid.