Three HotelPlanner Tour alumni added their names to the field for The 154th Open Championship after earning exemptions during the 2026 Investec South African Open Championship.
South African Casey Jarvis, Frenchman Frederic Lacroix and Italian Francesco Laporta will all tee it up at Royal Birkdale in July after impressing over the weekend in Stellenbosch, having all graduated from the HotelPlanner Tour in 2023.
Leading the trio is Jarvis, who cruised to back-to-back DP World Tour victories at his national open, seven days after he ticked off a breakthrough win at the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa.
The 22-year-old held his nerve to sign for a four-round total of 14 under par, and after a testing four days in Stellenbosch, finished three shots clear of a three-way tie for second. Jarvis, who starred during the 2023 Road to Mallorca after notching one victory and three runner-up finishes on his way to ending the year second on the season-long Rankings, will also tee it up at the Masters Tournament, with the winner of the Investec South African Open Championship receiving an exemption into the first Major Championship of the year for the first time in the tournament’s history. The South African will make his second Major Championship appearance in April having qualified for the 2024 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No.2.
Lacroix will join Jarvis at the last Major Championship of 2026 after piecing together a weekend move in the Rainbow Nation. Sitting at level par after 36 holes and just inside the cut line, the 31-year-old’s chances of booking his spot at Royal Birkdale appeared slim. Lacroix, however, fired a six under par 64 on moving day to propel himself up the leaderboard and following a closing round of 65, which included five birdies and an eagle, the Frenchman saw himself in a tie for second on 11 under par alongside Laporta and home favourite, Hennie du Plessis. With Lacroix and Laporta holding higher places in the Official World Ranking, the duo secured their spots at The 154th Open, with the South African agonisingly missing out. Lacroix most recently earned promotion from the HotelPlanner Tour three years ago after ending the year 13th in the Rankings following a consistent season which included one third place finish and six further top tens.
Laporta rounds off the HotelPlanner Tour alumni who earned spots at this year’s Open. The Italian started fast at Stellenbosch Golf Club and was well-placed to contend heading into the final 36 holes. Weekend rounds of 70 and 69 curtailed his hopes of winning in the Rainbow Nation, nonetheless, a birdie on the 17th on Sunday ensured he remained in a tie for second and on track to tee it up at Royal Birkdale later on this year. Laporta is a two-time graduate from the HotelPlanner Tour, doing so as the Number One in 2019, before winning in 2014 on his way to promotion in 14th place.
Jarvis, Laporta and Lacroix join fellow HotelPlanner Tour alumni Marco Penge, Tom McKibbin, Michael Hollick and Daniel Hillier in earning exemptions via The Open Qualifying Series, a series of events including the Link Hong Kong Open, Australian Open, New Zealand Open and Open de España presented by Madrid.
The 154th Open will take place from July 16-19, 2026, with Royal Birkdale set to host the world’s oldest golf tournament for an 11th time and first since 2017.
