Changes made to Open qualifying

R&A chief executive Peter Dawson believes a new international qualifying series for the Open Championship will be more “rigorous” than International Final Qualifying which it replaces.

The Open Qualifying Series will comprise 14 events in nine countries on the European Tour, PGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia, offering players the opportunity to qualify for golf’s oldest major championship, which takes place at Hoylake from July 17-20 next year.