The 2018 Open Championship will be the 147th Open Championship, held 19–22 July 2018 at Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. It will be the eighth Open Championship played at Carnoustie.

To qualify the Open Championship the players stand in the way of hopefuls with ambitions of teeing it up at Carnoustie for The 147th Open as they compete for the 12 places on offer at Final Qualifying. Three qualifying spots will be available at four courses across the UK on Tuesday 3 July, with Notts (Hollinwell), Prince’s, St Annes Old Links and The Renaissance on hosting duties. Players who came through the 13 Regional Qualifying events will be joined by leading players without exemption for The Open for a 36-hole shootout at each course. Here’s the lowdown on what awaits those golfers who want to keep their dream of challenging for the Claret Jug alive, including a look at the four qualifying sites.

What is Final Qualifying?

Only 156 players will have a chance to contest The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, with the field largely consisting of the world’s leading players. Past winners, such as last year’s Champion Golfer of the Year Jordan Spieth, earn automatic exemption – as does the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking. But as its name clearly states, the oldest and most prestigious major in golf also offers up the opportunity for those not in the elite bracket to make the start list. Final Qualifying is the last stage of the process for non-Tour pros or amateurs with a handicap of scratch or better, along with players who did not meet the exemption criteria.