Final Open Championship Spot Snagged in the Most Remarkable Way

Richard Teder isn’t a familiar name in the world of golf. At 20 years old, he’s not one of the stars of American collegiate golf, nor is he among the young players making a name for themselves on the professional circuits in Europe or Asia at an early age.

He finished fifth in the prestigious Amateur Championship at Royal St. George’s and Royal Cinque Ports just a couple of weeks ago. That’s something that certainly should have put him in the spotlight as one of the youngsters to watch in the golf world.

If not, on Tuesday, Teder provided definitive proof that he’s a must-have when talking about golf in Europe, at least in the amateur category.

Teder competed in the final qualifier for the Open Championship played in West Lancashire. The youngster put in an exceptional performance and, after 35 holes, was comfortably qualifying with a score of 7-under.

However, on the final hole of the event, he suffered the biggest complication of the day, carding a double bogey. From qualifying as runner-up, he became one of four players tied at 5-under who had to fight for two tickets in a sudden-death playoff.

However, Teder proved he’s made of good stuff and spectacularly earned his ticket, holing out for eagle on the third hole of the playoff.

Several videos circulating on social media demonstrate not only the exceptional nature of the play, but also how much the moment meant to the World No. 91 amateur.

Who is Richard Teder?

Richard Teder is the first Estonian player ever to qualify for the Open Championship, according to Golfweek. To put this achievement into perspective, Estonia only has seven golf courses, and the first of them was built in 1993, shortly after the country broke away from the Soviet Union.

“It doesn’t feel real to have qualified for The Open. It feels like a dream. I couldn’t believe the shot went in during the playoff. It just disappeared. It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Teder said, after clinching his ticket to Royal Portrush.

“Everyone dreams of playing in a major. I didn’t think I would ever get to play in a major, but here I am,” he added.

It’s safe to say that Teder was just being modest, as his qualification for the Open Championship was by no means a fluke.

His fifth-place finish at the British Amateur is probably the best result of his career so far, but Teder has victories at the 2025 Estonian Match Play and the 2024 Latvian Amateur Open Championship, among others, under his belt. Last March, he finished tied for 15th at the European Nations Cup.

The bottom line is that we better remember Richard Teder’s name from now on.

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