The final major of the 2025 season has arrived as the golf world descends on Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the 153rd Open Championship.
Many of golf’s stars arrive overseas with their game in good form, hoping to hoist the Claret Jug on Sunday and finish their season on a high note. Rory McIlroy seems finally ready to attack his next mountain after a T2 finish at last week’s Scottish Open. Jon Rahm also carded a runner-up finish last week at LIV Andalucia and will be one of the favorites this week. Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose also played well at the Renaissance Club last week and appear primed for the Open Championship test that looms.
But while almost all of golf’s big names will be present and accounted for this week in Northern Ireland, a few notable players won’t be teeing it up at Royal Portrush.
10 players who won’t play in the Open Championship
Max Homa
This will be the first time Homa has missed the Open Championship since 2019. He is currently ranked 101 in the world but showed signs of life with a T5 finish at the John Deere Classic. Homa will play in the Barracuda Championship this week.
Tiger Woods
Woods remains out of competition since undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon back in March. There is no timetable for Woods’ return to competitive golf. Woods hasn’t made a cut at the Open Championship since a T6 finish in 2018.
Billy Horschel
Last year’s runner-up at the Open Championship won’t be on the grounds this week in Northern Ireland. Horschel had hip surgery in May and hopes to return to the PGA Tour during the fall season. His only career top-10 finishes in major championships came last year at the PGA Championship (T8) and the Open Championship (T2).
Ian Poulter
The 49-year-old co-captain of LIV Golf’s Majesticks tried to qualify for the Open at Royal Cinque Ports but came up three shots shy. Poulter hasn’t played in a major since the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Graeme McDowell
Like Poulter, the 2010 U.S. Open champion tried to qualify for Royal Portrush at Royal Cinque Ports. But like Poulter, McDowell came up three shots short of qualifying and will miss his fifth consecutive Open Championship.
McDowell hasn’t played in a major since the 2020 Masters.
David Puig
The young Spaniard came up two shots short of qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports.
Puig played in the 2025 PGA Championship and got out to a solid start before fading over the final three rounds to finish in a tie for 60th place.
He missed the cut in his only Open Championship start in 2024.
Luke Clanton
The PGA Tour’s young budding star earned his spot in the Open Championship by winning the Mark McCormack Medal as the top amateur in 2024. However, Clanton could only keep his spot in the Open if he remained an amateur.
The Florida State product turned pro at the RBC Canadian Open and did not qualify as a professional for Royal Portrush.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris underwent another back surgery in May to address her herniated discs. He plans to return to action in the fall.
Zalatoris has three runner-up finishes in majors but has only made one cut at the Open Championship, which was a T28 finish in 2022.
Gary Woodland
The 2019 U.S. Open champion continues his climb back from brain surgery in 2023. Woodland carded a T2 finish at the Houston Open in March but has only one top-15 finish since then.
He finished in a tie for 60th place at last week’s Scottish Open.
Paul Casey
The Englishman hasn’t played in a major since the 2022 Open Championship and did not qualify for Royal Portrush.
