St Andrews, Scotland: The Open Qualifying Series moves to the PGA Tour at the Quicken Loans National this week and defending champion Bill Haas believes there will be fierce competition to secure a place in golf’s oldest and most international Major championship.

The Open Qualifying Series sees players on the world’s leading Tours bidding to qualify for The Open at Royal Liverpool from July 17-20. This week the leading four players, who are not already exempt, in the top 12 at Congressional will take their places at Hoylake.

Haas, who secured a three-stroke victory over Roberto Castro last year, has played in The Open for the last four years and appreciates the challenge of playing traditional links courses. The 32-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina enjoyed his best finish in The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012 in 19th position and is aiming to do even better this year having already qualified.  

“I am excited to see that guys will have the chance to qualify for The Open Championship at the Quicken Loans National,” said Haas. “It has been a fantastic experience for me to play in The Open and it really tests your game to play seaside courses in varying wind and weather conditions. The atmosphere at The Open is very special and I have received tremendous support from the galleries.

“I have a top 20 finish at The Open under my belt and each year I am becoming more accustomed to the links game. I am very much looking forward to contending at Hoylake.”

Haas heads a strong field that will include Tiger Woods, the three-time Open champion and defending champion at Hoylake from 2006, the 2013 and 2012 US Open champions Justin Rose and Webb Simpson and the 2013 and 2011 PGA champions Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley. Former Open champions Ernie Els (2002 and 2012), Stewart Cink (2009) and Ben Curtis (2003), will also be expected to contend.

Among those looking to qualify for The Open at the Quicken Loans National this week are Erik Compton, who finished runner-up in the recent US Open at Pinehurst after previously undergoing two heart transplants and Ben Crane, who won the FedEx St Jude Classic earlier this month.

Former Masters and US Open champion Angel Cabrera will be looking to make his 16th appearance in The Open where his best finish was tied fourth at Carnoustie in 1999. Three-time winner on the PGA Tour Martin Laird will aim to make his sixth appearance in The Open while it would be a first appearance for former Walker Cup player Patrick Rodgers, who was ranked number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking until he recently turned professional to make his debut at Congressional this week.

The Quicken Loans National is the sixth event in The Open Qualifying Series, which comprises 14 events in nine countries on five continents. The Series will also include the Greenbrier Classic and the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour.