​The First Coast and Georgia’s Golden Isles will be sending a sizable contingent of players to the 154th Open Championship, July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale, in Southport, England.The group is led by three past champions: Jacksonville native David Duval (2001, Royal Lytham and St. Annes), Cameron Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach (2022, St. Andrews) and Brian Harman of St. Simons Island, Ga. (2023, Royal Liverpool).AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuval, now with the PGA Tour Champions, will make his 25th start in the Open, and his first since 2022. Harman, Harris English of St. Simons Island and Billy Horschel of Ponte Vedra Beach are all making their 11th starts in golf’s oldest championship.Billy Horschel of Ponte Vedra Beach acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green during day four of The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 21, 2024 in Troon, Scotland.At the other end of the experience spectrum will be Nease graduate Marcus Plunkett, who has been playing on the Asian Tour, Michael Brennan of Jacksonville and Michael Thorbjornsen of Jacksonville. They are playing in their first British Open and in Plunkett’s case, his first major.Primary qualification category: Top 30, 2025 FedEx Cup.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOpen history: Third start, 1 of 2 cuts made.Best finish: Tied for 23rd, 2025 at Royal Portrush.Primary qualification category: Top 50 World Golf Ranking as of July 5.Open history: First start.Primary qualification category: Won 2026 RBC Canadian Open.Open history: Third start, 1 of 2 cuts made.Best finish: Tied for 32nd, 2013, Muirfield.Primary qualification category: Past winner.Open history: 25th start, 11 of 24 cuts made.Best finish: Won in 2001 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.Jacksonville native David Duval lifts the Claret Jug after winning the 2001 Open Golf Championship at the Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club July 22, 2001.Primary qualification category: Top 10, 2025 British Open.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOpen history: 11th start, 7 of 10 cuts made.Best finish: 2nd in 2025 at Royal Portrush.Primary qualification category: Past winner.Open history: 11th start, 6 of 10 cuts made.Best finish: Won in 2023 at Royal Liverpool.Primary qualification category: Won 2024 BMW PGA Championship.Open history: 11th start, 4 of 10 cuts made.Best finish: Tied for 2nd, 2024 at Royal Troon.Primary qualification category: Top 50 World Golf Ranking as of July 5.Open history: Fourth start, 0 of 3 cuts made.Primary qualification category: Top 30, 2025 FedEx Cup.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOpen history: Second start, 1-1 cuts made.Best finish: Tied for 63rd, 2025 at Royal Portrush.Primary qualification category: Tied for fourth, Dundonald Links qualifier.Open history: First start.Primary qualification category: Won 2026 Memorial.Open history: Fifth start, 1 of 4 cuts made.Best finish: Tied for 41st, 2023 at Royal Liverpool.Primary qualification category: Won 2026 PGA.Open history: Fifth start, 1 of 4 cuts made.Best