The Open 2025: Seven big-name players at the John Deere Classic at risk of not qualifying

Archie Starkey 06 Jul 2025

The 2025 Open at Royal Portrush is just weeks away with a number of the PGA Tour’s biggest names not yet qualified for the fourth and final major of the year.

Methods of entry to the field in Northern Ireland are getting thinner with the Open Qualifying Series the last chance at gaining entry for a select group.

Golf365 has taken a closer look at the seven biggest PGA Tour stars who are yet to gain entry to the 2025 Open field.

Let’s take a closer look at what they need…

1. Max Homa

OWGR Ranking: 99
PGA Tour wins: 6
Best finish at The Open: T10 (2023)

What they need to qualify: He was -14 and one shot off the lead at the 2025 John Deere Classic ahead of the final round.

Max Homa needs to either win the event or finish as the highest non-exempt member of the field to avoid missing The Open for the first time since 2019.

2. Si Woo Kim

OWGR Ranking: 64
PGA Tour wins: 4
Best finish at The Open: T15 (2022)

What they need to qualify: Si Woo Kim has top 15 finishes in all four of the majors with the South Korean a proven event winner on the PGA Tour.

He finished T8 in the 2025 PGA Championship and always offers competition when he’s on his A-game in addition to being the youngest golfer to win The Players Championship in 2017.

3. Emiliano Grillo

OWGR Ranking: 144
PGA Tour wins: 2
Best finish at The Open: T6 (2023)

What they need to qualify: The Argentine is also one shot back at -14 ahead of the final round of the John Deere Classic and needs to either win the event or be the highest non-exempt finisher if he wants to qualify for another Open.

His last PGA Tour win was the Charles Schwab Challenge in 2023 with the former world number 23 finishing T6 at The Open in the same year at Royal Liverpool.

4. Joel Dahmen

OWGR Ranking: 169
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at The Open: T46 (2021)

What they need to qualify: The Netflix Full Swing fan-favourite has fallen down the world rankings to 169th place with a lacklustre 2025 season so far.

Dahmen has qualified for the Genesis Scottish Open with FedEx Cup points and will need to finish as one of the top three non-exempt players at The Renaissance Club if he wants to appear at Royal Portrush.

5. Aldrich Potgieter

OWGR Ranking: 49
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at The Open: Missed cut (2022)

What they need to qualify: Despite winning his maiden PGA Tour title at the Rocket Classic in a multi-hole playoff last week, the event was not a part of The Open Qualifying Series and he will have to qualify elsewhere.

His win in Detroit was the highlight of an incredible year for the South African, who will have to make the most of his Genesis Scottish Open entry and finish within the top three non-exempt players at the links course.

6. Gary Woodland

OWGR Ranking: 96
PGA Tour wins: 4
Best finish at The Open: T12 (2016)

What they need to qualify: The four time PGA Champion hasn’t missed an Open Championship since 2013 and managed a T12 finish in 2016.

He’s earned a place in the field at the Genesis Scottish Open and will need to win the event or be in the top three non-exempt finishers to secure a 12 consecutive Open start.

7. Jake Knapp

OWGR Ranking: 85
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at The Open: Never featured at The Open

What they need to qualify: Knapp has had an up and down year with some incredible feats of scoring in the PGA Tour including a bogey free round of 59 at the Cognizant Classic earlier this season.

He won his maiden PGA event at the Mexico Open in 2024 and will need to string together four rounds of low scoring to win or finish in the top three non exempt finishers at the Genesis Scottish Open and make it to Royal Portrush.