This week is the last opportunity for players to secure a place in the field for next week’s 144th Open.
Places are still up for grabs for the leading three players, not already exempt, who finish in the top 10 at Gullane or the top five in Illinois. Here are just 10 of the players in action at either the Scottish Open or the John Deere Classic still hoping to qualify for St Andrews...
Chesson Hadley – The then-PGA Tour rookie made his Open debut at Royal Liverpool last year, missing the cut after an opening round 79. The 28-year-old has produced strong showing this season at Pebble Beach and the Texas Open, but needs a much better result this week.
Max Kieffer – The German has done everything but claim a maiden European Tour title this year, not missing a single cut in 17 events and coming close to victory at the Nordea Masters. If the world No 183 can add card a sixth top 10 of the season this week, then he may have done enough to work his way to St Andrews.
Simon Khan – The Englishman’s three-year exemption for winning the 2012 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth has expired, meaning the two-time European Tour champion needs a first top-10 finish since May 2013 to have any chance of qualifying.
Russell Knox - Can the Scot shine on home soil and book an Open debut? The 30-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Travelers Championship a fortnight ago, but is back fit in time to feature at Gullane.
Colin Montgomerie – A one-time regular at the Open, Monty needs a finish at the top end of the Gullane leaderboard this week to avoid missing the event for the fifth year running. A decade on from finishing runner-up to Tiger Woods on the old course, the three-time senior major champion failed to progress from last month’s qualifying series event at Woburn.
Vijay Singh - The three-time major champion has had some strong memories at the Open, finishing tied-second in 2003, but the former world No 1 needs a top-five finish at TPC Deere Run to avoid missing out for a second year running.
Kevin Streelman – Victory at last year’s Travelers Championship had parachuted the American in to the world’s top 40, but just one top-10 finish in a disappointing first half to 2015 leaves Streelman needing a strong showing in Illinois.
Steve Stricker - In the field the last time the Open was held at St Andrews, the injury-plague veteran has dropped out of the world's top 100 after a missed cut at the Greenbrier Classic. It would take something special in Illinois to see him in Scotland next week.
Camilo Villegas - Once ranked in the world's top 10, the Colombian will need his best performance of the season to have any chance of following up appearances at Augusta and Chambers Bay with a visit to Scotland.
Chris Wood - Already a winner on the European Tour this season, the world No 88 heads to Gullane looking to avoid a third missed cut in a row. With victory in Austria last month following high finishes at Wentworth and in Morocco, Wood has the credentials to challenge this week.
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