How field for The Open's new Last-Chance Qualifier would have looked this year

“Obviously,” said Darbon, laughing in reply to being asked by The Scotsman during his pre-event press conference for this year’s Claret Jug joust at Royal Portrush if he didn’t agree with such a description for the shoot-out, which is set to involve 12 players.

“We were always looking to evolve the proposition here at The Open Championship and we take player feedback,” added the man who succeeded Martin Slumbers last year. “We invest a lot in ensuring that we get spectator and broadcaster feedback and we think it's a great addition to the week.

“What I would say about that Last-Chance Qualifier is it will absolutely be true to our broad principles around exemptions and qualifications for The Open. Everyone who hits their first tee shot here has earned the right to be here, so it will not be staged, to use your term, in a gimmicky fashion. It will be robust in its approach.”

Eligibility criteria for first edition looks to be ‘spot on’

Despite that, this correspondent, for one, still had to be convinced, but not any more because, in fairness, Darbon and his team have come up with an eligibility criteria for the first edition at Royal Birkdale next summer that looks to be spot on.

The first two players in the 12-man field will be the leading two non-exempt players in the Official World Golf Ranking as published on Monday, 6 July. The next spot will then go to the runner-up in The Amateur Championship, provided they are still an amateur on Monday, 13 July.

Players who missed out having been in a play-off at Final Qualifying will then be added to the field followed by players who finished one position behind those who secured a place at Final Qualifying.

If spots are still up for grabs, they will then go to players who were tied for a qualifying place in various events included as part of The Open Qualifying Series (excluding the Genesis Scottish Open) but did not qualify due to a lower position in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Straight away, my first thought was what would the field have looked like if a Last-Chance Qualifier had been in place this year and a simulation carried out by The R&A has convinced me it can indeed be a worthwhile addition right at the start of the week.

Jacob Bridgeman and Samual Stevens would have filled the OWGR spots while Irishman Gavin Tiernan would have claimed the amateur berth. Tartan Tour star Paul O’Hara and 2023 Farmfoods Scottish Challenge winner Sam Bairstow, meanwhile, would also have been involved as Final Qualifying play-off losers along with Ronan Mullarney. The final berths would then have gone to Moldovan Maxwell, Joe Dean, Anirban Lahiri, Matthis Besard, John Gough and Callum Farr through strong performances in Final Qualifying.

In short, that would have been a great mix of players, so, yes, the Last-Chance Qualifier can create a bit of excitement for spectators turning up early on the Monday morning at Royal Birkdale.

As for whether or not The Open needs a new Heroes Classic, which is being staged on Tuesday as a short-format team challenge, it’s probably best if I keep my thoughts to myself on that one.