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One of the coolest aspects of the U.S. Open and the British Open is the fact that golfers who rely on another job to make a living have the chance to qualify to compete against some of the best players on the planet. The list of people who’ve earned the right to do exactly that now includes Richard Teder, a 20-year-old who made some history while punching his ticket to the major in dramatic fashion.
We’re just a couple of weeks away from the start of the British Open (officially known as “The Open Championship”), as the 153rd iteration of golf’s oldest major will kick off at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on July 17th.
As is the case with the U.S. Open, the “Open” in the British Open isn’t a meaningless word. The majority of the competitors who comprise the field play golf for a living, but the R&A (the governing body that oversees the tournament) also hosts qualifying tournaments that are open to anyone with a scratch handicap (which the organization officially defines as. 4 or better).
In June, thousands of players competed at the regional events that were held at 15 different courses in the United Kingdom and Ireland to try to secure one of the 131 spots up for grabs in the final qualifying round that was held on July 1st.
Richard Teder, a 20-year-old amateur from Estonia, was one of the more than 70 golfers who headed to West Lancashire in the hopes of finding himself among the five people who’d punch their ticket to the British Open when everything was said and done.
He was sitting a -7 heading into the 18th hole but ended up in a four-man playoff for the last two spots after carding a costly double bogey to finish at -5 after two rounds. Finnish pro Oliver Lindell became the first member of that quartet to qualify, and Teder subsequently found himself vying with Ronan Mullarney and Sam Bairstow for the last slot heading into the third hole of their sudden-death showdown.
Both of his opponents found the green with their second shot but were facing fairly lengthy putts for birdie, and Teder had the chance to put the pressure on when he attempted an approximately 85-yard shot from the fairway in the wake of his 340-yard drive.
That ended up being his final swing of the day, as it bounced a few times on the putting surface before rolling into the hole to seal the deal.
Moments like this define Final Qualifying.
An incredible eagle for amateur golfer Richard Teder to secure a spot at The 153rd Open. pic.twitter.com/ljOVfXu6oV
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 1, 2025
Teder also became the first golfer hailing from Estonia to qualify for the British Open, and he was just one of four amateurs to do so on Monday.