Wilhelm Ryding of Sweden posted rounds of 68 at Royal Liverpool and 67 at West Lancashire for a nine-under-par 135 total to top stroke-play qualifying at The 131st Amateur Championship on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old finished one stroke clear of compatriot Edwin Askerfors and the English trio of Ben Bolton, Edward Featherstone and Joshua McCartain, all tied at eight under. Ryding became the first Swede to lead the qualifying phase since Daniel Jennevret did so at Royal Troon in 2012.

The stakes remain high for the leading 64 players and ties who advanced into match play. Saturday’s 36-hole final winner will earn exemptions into The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next month, the US Open and, by tradition, an invitation to The Masters Tournament.

Smart Links Golf

Ryding relied on discipline across the two links courses. He leaned heavily on his 2-iron off the tee, targeting fairways and staying out of trouble.

“The key to success has been playing smart. I’ve not hit a lot of drivers. I’ve mostly been hitting 2-irons off the tee just to avoid the bunkers. I think I’ve been in only one bunker and that was a greenside bunker.”

Over 36 holes he recorded 14 birdies, seven of them arriving between the 5th and 16th in round two. Ryding was confident heading into the bracket: “The rest can be scared because my game is hot.”

Bolton, Potgieter Stand Out

Among the other qualifiers, 18-year-old Ben Bolton made the most of home advantage as a Royal Liverpool member. He compiled a bogey-free round with six birdies, four of them in a six-hole stretch on the back nine.

South Africa’s Malan Potgieter produced the round of the day, a nine-under-par 63 at Royal Liverpool that equalled the amateur course record. Potgieter had opened with a 76 at West Lancashire and started round two five shots outside the qualifying mark.

Scotland’s Connor Graham, who topped qualifying in both 2024 and 2025, advanced on five under par after a 67 at Royal Liverpool. Argentina’s Segundo Oliva Pinto, who posted back-to-back top-ten finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this season, also reached match play after a 66.

Playoff for Final Places

The qualifying cutline fell at two under par. Twenty-one players, including highest-ranked Luke Poulter, son of Ian Poulter,  and 2025 runner-up Gavin Tiernan, were set for a sudden-death playoff on Wednesday morning at Royal Liverpool to claim the final ten match-play spots.

The 288-player field at this year’s championship, hosted at Royal Liverpool for a record 19th time, featured golfers from 41 countries.