Thriston Lawrence, Zander Lombard and Ashley Chesters will all tee it up at The 150th Open Championship after earning their places at St Andrews at the Joburg Open.
The top three players in the top ten not already exempt at the opening event of the 2022 DP World Tour season earned their place at the Home of Golf, with the action at Randpark Golf Club reduced to 36 holes due to weather and Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Back-to-back rounds of 65 handed Lawrence a 12 under par total and a four-shot victory, and the home favourite was delighted to claim a maiden DP World Tour title and a Major Championship debut.
"It’s a lifelong dream that’s come true," he said. "I’ve never played in a Major before and to play your first one at St Andrews is unbelievable.
"I can’t wait, I’m so excited. From a young age, it was a goal of mine and it’s unbelievable to achieve it.”
Chesters will be playing in his third Open but first as a professional, having finished in a tie for 12th at St Andrews in 2015.
“It’s going to be very exciting to play in The 150th Open," he said. "I played at St Andrews as an amateur in 2015 and I did quite well that year, which was really nice, but I did say at the time that it would be good to go back there as a professional so I’m really happy and excited.
"I know the course very well so hopefully that will give me a chance come July. We played quite a lot of golf there as amateurs and obviously I’ve played the Alfred Dunhill Links, so I know the course really well and hopefully that will give me a good chance come July.”
Lombard has played in three Opens previously, making the cut in 2016 and 2018, and was happy to be playing his part in the oldest Major's 150th anniversary.
"You can’t dream of bigger things like that," he said. "Hopefully I’ll go and compete and do well in The Open.
"St Andrews is a course that I’ve played well at and so there are going to be a lot of good feelings going into the Championship in July.”
