The British Open is reducing its age limit to 55 years old for winners of the claret jug this year and beyond, part of a few tweaks to its exemption categories announced Wednesday.
Among the changes are to take the leading five players from the International Federation Ranking — the top players from the money lists of the top Japanese, Asian, Australian and South African tours — plus the next-highest player in the Official World Golf Ranking from those tours.
That provides a path this year for Andy Ogletree, now with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year. The PGA Championship also has provided spots from the IFR.
The 152nd British Open, the year's final major championship tournament, is July 18-21 at Royal Troon in Scotland.
The tourney changed its age limit from 65 to 60 in 2010, and it now will be 55 for anyone winning at Royal Troon and in future years.
It is not likely to have a dramatic effect. Phil Mickelson, who won at Muirfield in 2013, will be 54 this year at Royal Troon but will be able to play until he is 60. Ditto for John Daly, who will be 58 at this year's tournament. He can continue playing until 60.
The 55-age limit applies only to the British Open champions from this year and onward.
The field will still include the top 30 from the Race to Dubai on the Europe-based DP World Tour, securing a spot for Adrian Meronk, who joined LIV and already has fallen out of the top 50 in the OWGR and the top 30 from the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings.
The British Open has added an exemption for the new Africa Amateur champion to go with spots for the Latin America Amateur and Asia-Pacific Amateur champions.
Still in effect is the top 50 in the OWGR through May 26. LIV's request to be part of that ranking was rejected last fall. It has only four players in the top 50 — all exempt for Royal Troon already — and this week said it has withdrawn its OWGR application.
LIV participants not exempt for the British Open include past Masters champions Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed. Their best path into golf's oldest championship would be either the Italian Open (part of the qualifying series for the British Open and one week after the LIV Golf League visits Tennessee) or final qualifying on July 2.