Ballester, Surratt, Uihlein earn spots at The Open through Final Qualifying
Fireballs GC’s Josele Ballester, Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt and RangeGoats Golf Club’s Peter Uihlein advanced on Tuesday and will compete at Royal Birkdale.
Three LIV Golf players have punched their tickets to Royal Birkdale via Final Qualifying. Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt, RangeGoats Golf Club’s Peter Uihlein, and Fireballs GC’s Josele Ballester all came through the 36-hole grind on Tuesday, earning spots in the 154th Open Championship field. It was a long, demanding day across three of the four venues, and when it was all said and done, the three LIV Golf stars had done exactly what they came to do.
CALEB SURRATT | Burnham & Berrow
Surratt shot rounds of 67 and 66 for a 9-under total at the Somerset links. This is now the second time in six weeks that the Legion XIII young gun has survived a major championship qualifier, and his summer overall has proved a massive progression in his professional career. In May, Surratt clawed through a six-for-one playoff at Dallas Athletic Club to earn his first-ever major start at the U.S. Open. He made the cut at Shinnecock Hills. Now, he's going to Royal Birkdale.
PETER UIHLEIN | Royal Cinque Ports
Uihlein carded rounds of 66 and 69 for a 9-under total at the historic Kent links. The RangeGoats GC veteran now heads to Royal Birkdale having qualified through Final Qualifying for both Opens in the same year.
Prior to qualifying for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Uihlein had not played in a major championship since 2018. He made the cut on Long Island and finished T56. He will look to improve on that performance at Birkdale.
Surratt and Uihlein became the first players since Brandon Wu in 2019 to qualify through Final Qualifying for both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship in the same year.
Peter Uihlein will compete at The Open after going through Final Qualifying. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)
JOSELE BALLESTER | West Lancashire
Ballester shot rounds of 70 and 65 for a 9-under total. And it’s a finish that Ballester will never forget. The 22-year-old Fireballs GC star made a timely eagle at the par-5 16th hole to thrust himself into the mix, then held on to come through at West Lancashire in a tie for second. This will be the first major of 2026 for the Spaniard.
Ballester has been one of the most electric young players in golf in 2026. He fired a 12-under 60 at LIV Golf Virginia earlier this season — a course record and tied for the lowest score relative to par in LIV Golf history — and has shown throughout the year that he has the potential to develop into a superstar.
His captain Sergio Garcia could not get through at the same venue for Final Qualifying. But Ballester is going, and he carries with him a game that is capable of performing at the highest level.
LIV Golf players at The 154th Open
The 154th Open Championship takes place at Royal Birkdale from July 16–19. Surratt, Uihlein, and Ballester join the LIV Golf players already in the field, including Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers), Joaquin Niemann (Torque), Tyrrell Hatton (Legion XIII), Scott Vincent (HyFlyers GC), Cameron Smith (Ripper), Lucas Herbert (Ripper), Tom McKibbin (Legion XIII), Louis Oosthuizen (Southern Guards), Laurie Canter (Majesticks GC) and Elvis Smylie (Ripper)
