Ludvig Aberg, Baard Skogen and Tim Wiedemeyer send Texas Tech into The Open, giving the Red Raiders a rare three-man presence on golf's biggest stage this July.
Texas Tech golf is invading Royal Birkdale, and the Red Raiders aren’t arriving in England simply to pose for pictures beside the Claret Jug.
Ludvig Aberg, Baard Skogen and Tim Wiedemeyer will represent Texas Tech at the 154th Open Championship, giving the program three players in the 156-man field for golf’s final major of 2026.
Aberg enters as an established star, while Skogen and Wiedemeyer will experience The Open for the first time when competition begins Thursday.
Aberg is unquestionably the headline attraction. The former Red Raider missed the cut during his Open debut at Royal Troon in 2024, but he responded with a tie for 23rd at Royal Portrush last year. He finished that tournament at 6-under 278 after rounds of 73, 67, 68 and 70.
Now he’ll try to turn another solid major appearance into a legitimate Claret Jug run.
Skogen took a more dramatic route to Royal Birkdale. The Norwegian punched his ticket through Final Qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports, where he followed an opening 68 with a flawless 64. His second round featured eight birdies, pushing him to 12 under and into a tie atop the leaderboard.
That performance was impressive enough to cancel a planned European road trip with his parents. When The Open calls, the vacation itinerary loses every time.
Wiedemeyer may have the most intriguing story of the trio. The current Texas Tech golfer will be one of only 10 amateurs in the field after winning the 2026 European Amateur Championship. He finished the 72-hole event at 13-under 271, winning by two shots and earning one of golf’s most coveted invitations.
His summer has already included Golfweek and PING Third-Team All-America honors, First-Team All-Big 12 recognition and a victory with Team International at the Arnold Palmer Cup. Texas Tech associate head coach James Vargas will serve as his caddie at Royal Birkdale.
Wiedemeyer also extends an eye-opening Red Raiders streak. Texas Tech has now placed an amateur in The Open for three consecutive years, something no other American university can claim. Calum Scott won the Silver Medal as the tournament’s leading amateur in 2024, while Connor Graham competed at Royal Portrush in 2025.
More than 300,000 spectators are expected as Royal Birkdale hosts The Open for the first time since 2017.
Aberg is chasing major-championship glory. Skogen is trying to make his surprise opportunity count. Wiedemeyer can strengthen Texas Tech’s growing amateur legacy.
Three Red Raiders are heading into golf’s oldest major — and none of them plans to leave quietly.
