Ryan McCarthy won’t be short on confidence when he arrives at the first tee for this week’s Prague Challenge after surviving a four-way playoff to secure a spot in The Open at Royal Birkdale.

McCarthy teed up in Final Qualifying at Gailes Golf Club on his way to the Czech Republic and with rounds of 72-68 found himself tied with three others for the third and final spot in the field.

An eight-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole was enough to secure the win and McCarthy will now join nine other Australians and New Zealand’s Michael Hendry at the year’s third major.

However, there is business to take care of first in Prague where McCarthy will be one of five Australians in the field.

Dimi Papadatos, Nick Cullen, Daniel Fox and Daniel Gaunt all join McCarthy at Prague City Golf course, Papadatos also in good form after a top five finish in a mini tour event last week.

The reigning Oates Vic Open champion makes his third Challenge Tour start of the season though surprisingly, given his play elsewhere in 2017, he is yet to make a cut.

That seems likely to change this week after Papadatos fired rounds of 63-66-69 at Cumberwell Park in England last week to finish T5 on the highly competitive Euro Pro Tour.

Daniel Fox and Nick Cullen will both be frustrated after missing out on qualifying for The Open and will be highly motivated to turn that from around this week.