Words by Peter Handcock, the Half Par Kid

While the best golfers in the world battle for the Claret Jug, there’s another prize worth paying attention to at The Open —especially in a Walker Cup year. In this blog, Half Par looks at the nine amateurs in the field and explains why the medal they’re playing for is such a big deal.

Amateur Hour: The Race for the Silver Medal at Portrush

Sure, Rory McIlroy’s bid to win the one he now wants most (bar a PGA at Frisco, of course) will grab most of the headlines this week. Scottie Scheffler’s red-hot form will also be tough to ignore as he aims to tick-off what is surely the hardest remaining leg of his career slam . But look beyond the big names, and there’s no shortage of compelling storylines at this Open.

The course itself with its famous shifting winds, towering dunes, and amazing green complexes will demand every shot in the bag. Among the other subplots? Ryan Peake — the former gang member who served five years in prison and is now making his major debut. But one of the most enduring traditions at The Open is the battle for amateur honours.

Since 1949, the Silver Medal has been awarded to the leading amateur who completes all 72 holes. Frank Stranahan set the tone by winning four of the first five, and even finished as low amateur when runner-up in 1947 before the medal was introduced. Over the years, the roll of honour has grown to include Sir Michael Bonallack, Hal Sutton, José María Olazábal, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, and Matt Fitzpatrick. Only Tiger and Rory have managed to win both the Silver Medal and the Claret Jug.

This week, nine amateurs will try to add their names to that storied list. The Silver Medal can change the trajectory of a career — and Walker Cup selectors will be watching closely ahead of Cypress Point in September.

Many of these names are new to me now, a reminder of time passing — I used to know all the top amateurs when I was playing full time. Funny how it goes: many of them are playing this week while I’m in the media centre writing about them. George Bloor, Marco Penge, John Axelsen, Dan Brown, Matty Jordan, Curtis Knipes… all players who helped bring my own playing days to an early close.

The current crop of amateurs are just as good though, and here are the nine teeing it up this week.

Cameron Adam (Scotland, 22)

• Qualified via the Open Amateur Series, combining results from the St Andrews Links Trophy, The Amateur, and European Amateur
• WAGR ranking: 29
• First major appearance
• Left-hander and member of Royal Burgess, the world’s oldest golf club
• All but locked in for the Walker Cup team

Seb Cave (England, 21)

• Came through Final Qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports, finishing eagle-birdie into the wind to seal his spot
• WAGR ranking: 120
• First major appearance
• Winner of the 2024 St Andrews Links Trophy
• Plays at UNC Charlotte, where he set the single-season scoring record
• A made cut would virtually guarantee Walker Cup selection

Ethan Fang (USA, 20)

• Qualified by winning The Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s with a birdie on the last for a 1-up win
  
• WAGR ranking: 4
  
• First major appearance
  
• Quarter-finalist at last year’s US Amateur
  
• Plays for Oklahoma State

Connor Graham (Scotland, 18)

• Qualified via playoff at Dundonald in Final Qualifying
  
• WAGR ranking: 39
  
• First major appearance
  
• Led stroke play at The Amateur for the second year in a row back in June
  
• Youngest ever Walker Cup player two years ago at 17, almost certain to represent again at Cypress

Justin Hastings (Cayman Islands, 21)

• Qualified by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship
  
• WAGR ranking: 12
  
• Third major appearance (2025 Masters MC; 2025 US Open low amateur, T55)
  
• Senior at San Diego State University

Filip Jakubcik (Czech Republic, 21)

• Qualified by winning the European Amateur Championship
  
• WAGR ranking: 7
  
• First major appearance
• Leading player in his side at Arizona University
• Made a hole-in-one during Tuesday’s practice round on the 6th hole, Harry Colt’s
• Pronunciation unclear

Frazer Jones (England, 20)

• Earned his spot via Final Qualifying at Burnham & Berrow, closing with four straight birdies with his dad on the bag
  
• WAGR ranking: 959
  
• First major appearance
  
• Plays at UNC alongside Seb Cave, the same university attended by Connor Gough who won the Boys Amateur at Royal Portrush in 2018
• A made cut would make him hard to not pick for Cypress, despite his much lower ranking thank other GB&I players

Bryan Newman (South Africa, 17)

• Secured his place by winning the Africa Amateur Championship at Leopard Creek
  
• WAGR ranking: 635
  
• First major appearance, but South African youngsters are known to be exceptional players (Christian Maas, Casey Jarvis etc.)

Richard Teder (Estonia, 20)

• Qualified at West Lancashire by holing a 70-yard pitch in a four-man playoff
  
• First major appearance
  
• Known for prodigious length off the tee — even had a long-drive showdown with Bryson on the range
  
• Tom’s favourite golfer
• First Estonian ever to play in a men’s major, or from any of the Baltic countries
  

One name missing is José Luis Ballester, the 2025 US Amateur champion. He played the Masters this year but turned pro after the NCAA season, joining LIV’s Spanish team, the Fireballs (insert Pitbull tune here) — forfeiting his Open exemption and his US Open start at Oakmont.

It’s a strong amateur field, but Portrush is a proper test. With the oldest amateur being born in 2004 (no Hagestad, Bonallack’s or even a Matt McClean here), making the cut alone would be an achievement. After all, there have only been 54 Silver Medals awarded in 75 Opens since Stranahan first claimed it.

If you want an early prediction from me for Sunday’s ceremony, Cameron Adam and Connor Graham look the safest bets — especially if the weather gets ugly. But I won’t be putting any bets on the low-am this week. The reality is we don’t know enough about them, their form, or their ability to handle major championship pressure. All I know is they’re doing something I’d have given everything for, and that’s very cool.