R&A CEO Mark Darbon will announce the Champion Golfer of the Year on Sunday at Royal Birkdale, the honorific given to the winner of the Open Championship along with the claret jug. But moments before doing, Darbon hopes to hand out the Silver Medal awarded to the low amateur through 72 holes at the Open, a keepsake earned by such notable golfers over the years as Frank Stranahan, Joe Carr and Sir Michael Bonallack, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick.
But that’s the catch: One of the 10 amateurs in the field this week must make the cut in order to claim the prize. For the last three years, the silver medal has grown cobwebs, after being handed out six out of the eight previous years from 2015 to 2022.
So who’s the most likely candidate to claim the award in 2026? Take a look at the 10 amateurs competing, and if you’re like us, you’ll be rooting for several of these inspiring stories.
Age: 21 Country: South Africa WAGR: 88 How he qualified: Africa Amateur champion Skinny: Was a six-shot winner of the Africa Amateur in this year. Plays college golf at USC. Attended the 2017 Open at Birkdale as a 12-year-old, where he got a signed glove from Rickie Fowler and a golf ball that Kevin Na made a hole-in-one with during a practice round.
Alejandro de Castro Piera 
[Photo: Alex Burstow/R&A]
Age: 21 Country: Spain WAGR: 52 How he qualified: Final Qualifying Skinny: Finished his college golf career at Long Beach State, where he posted nine top-10 finishes in 12 starts and won 2026 Big West golfer of the year honors.
Stuart Grehan 
[Photo: Stuart Franklin/R&A]
Age: 33 Country: Ireland WAGR: 19 How he qualified: British Amateur champion Skinny: Got his amateur status back early in 2025 and proceeded to win the Irish Amateur, then qualify for the 2025 GB&I Walker Cup team. Built on that momentum to win the British Amateur over American Matt Moloney at Royal Liverpool. Works as a financial advisor in Ireland.
Lev Grinberg 
[Photo: Oisin Keniry/R&A]
Age: 18 Country: Ukraine WAGR: 40 How he qualified: Open Amateur Series winner Skinny: Was born in Kyiv, becoming the first Ukrainian-born golfer to compete in the Open. Started playing the game there, but moved to Belgium at 11 to have more access to the game. He since moved to France, and this year changed his sports nationality to France for international events.) Won the St. Andrews Links Trophy in June. His grandfather still lives in Ukraine: “I’m in contact with him every day. He’s always like, ‘Did you win?’ It was really nice at St Andrews to say that after some time that I actually won. It’s difficult, I mean now it’s much better but he’s in a safe place and he’s OK.”
David Howard 
[Photo: Oisin Keniry/R&A]
Age: 25 Country: Ireland WAGR: 1,441 How he qualified: Final qualifying Skinny: Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 7 and hopes to use his first appearance in the Open to inspire others. Works as a qualified mechanic for Audi.
Mason Howell 
[Photo: Christian Petersen]
Age: 19 Country: United States WAGR: 45 How he qualified: U.S. Amateur champion Skinny: Is the first U.S. Amateur champion to take advantage of his exemption into the Open since Gunn Yang in 2015. Tied for the most major experience of any amateur in the field with Mateo Pulcini, with appearances at the Masters and U.S. Open. However, he missed the cut at both, as well as four other PGA Tour events he’s played in 2026.
Fifa Laopakdee 
[Photo: Augusta National]
Age: 21 Country: Thailand WAGR: 23 How he qualified: Asia Pacific Amateur champion Skinny: Father’s love of soccer is how he gained the nickname Fifa. Plays college golf at Arizona State. Rallied from six shots back on the final day to win the Asia Pacific Amateur last fall.
Mateo Pulcini 
[Photo: Stuart Franklin/R&A]
Age: 25 Country: Argentina WAGR: 78 How he qualified: Latin America Amateur champion Skinny: Oldest ever winner of the LAAC, and enjoyed the spoils of playing in the Masters and U.S. Open. Among the few at Royal Birkdale this week who hope England does not win the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Nevill Ruiter 
[Photo: Ross Parker/R&A]
Age: 24 Country: The Netherlands WAGR: 126 How he qualified: Final Qualifying Skinny: Played in the U.S. at the College of Charleston. Finished second in the European Amateur, just missing the automatic exemption into the Open for the win. Turned around then to make it through final qualifying for his first major start. Finished T-66 at the KLM Open earlier this year.
Tim Wiedemeyer 
[Photo: Oisin Keniry/R&A]
Age: 21 Country: Germany WAGR: 10 How he qualified: European Amateur champion Skinny: A decorated German golfer who has played in his national team since 2021. Was the first golfer to win the Jacques Leglise Trophy with the continental European team three times (2021, 2022, 2023), and was unbeaten in two appearances. Plays college golf at Texas Tech and has two college wins, including the 2025 Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational.
