One South African's misfortune became another's opportunity. Both were at Royal Birkdale on Monday, July 13, but only one will tee it up on Thursday, July 16.

Former Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen won the Open Championship in 2010. The 43-year-old withdrew from the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Monday, according to Golf Digest's Ryan Herrington.

The immediate beneficiary was South African player Aldrich Potgieter. The young South African had finished third in Monday morning's Last Chance Qualifier and missed out on one of the available spots. Oosthuizen's withdrawal opened the door. Potgieter was first alternate and moved directly into the field.

The withdrawal also rules him out of LIV Golf's UK event the following week, per Evin Priest's report on X. No official reason beyond a back injury was cited for the Open withdrawal.

Potgieter had already been considered a strong candidate to get in regardless. Sam Burns's wife is due to give birth to their second child, and Burns's mother told the media at the U.S. Open that he would not be playing at Birkdale, according to Golf Digest. With Potgieter now confirmed, Matti Schmid moves to first alternate, and Andrew Wilson, runner-up in the Last Chance Qualifier, becomes second alternate.

Since winning The Open at St. Andrews in 2010, Oosthuizen has played in the tournament almost every year. He missed only the 2013 event after withdrawing. In the last four years, he has missed the cut three times.

Since joining LIV Golf in 2022, Oosthuizen has played in five major tournaments. He has made the cut only once, finishing tied for 60th at the 2022 PGA Championship.

The back injury now extends that stretch of difficult major runs.

Potgieter’s path to Birkdale was never straightforward but he’s in

Potgieter's week started with a Last Chance Qualifier where he needed a top-two finish to earn a direct spot. He finished third. That result looked like the end.

Oosthuizen's withdrawal changed everything inside a few hours. Potgieter is ranked 83rd in the world, according to the PGA Tour official website. Schmid is now the first alternate. Wilson is second. Potgieter joins Miles Russell, the 17-year-old who made the cut at last month's U.S. Open, in the field at Royal Birkdale this week.

Oosthuizen's 2010 win at St Andrews is one of the biggest victories in Open Championship history. He finished seven shots ahead of Lee Westwood. It was the biggest winning margin at The Open since Tiger Woods won by eight shots at St Andrews in 2000. That victory is the only major title of his career.

The 154th Open Championship begins Thursday, July 17.

Do you think Aldrich Potgieter can make a run at the Open Championship this week? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Read more at Club Golf.

Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar