Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie are among the hopefuls trying to qualify for next month's Open Championship on Monday.
The Ryder Cup captain and his predecessor will head a 96-strong field at Sunningdale, with 10 spots on offer.
Six other Ryder Cup players will play in the 36-hole event - the last of five international qualifying tournaments.
Besides Olazabal, there will be one other major winner trying to reach Royal Lytham, American Rich Beem.
Beem pipped Tiger Woods to the 2002 USPGA title while Olazabal won the Masters in 1994 and 1999.
The 46-year-old Spaniard has succeeded Montgomerie as captain of the European Ryder Cup team, which has previously featured fellow Open hopefuls Niclas Fasth, Ross Fisher, David Howell, Thomas Levet, Paul McGinley and Oliver Wilson.
Swede Fasth was runner-up to David Duval the last time the Open was staged at Royal Lytham in 2001, in a week which saw Montgomerie lead after both 18 and 36 holes, only to finish joint 13th.
The Scot, who turned 49 on Saturday, would become the oldest major winner in history if he manages to break his major duck.
Tom Lewis is also hoping to qualify on Monday after grabbing the headlines during last year's Open at Sandwich.
Partnering Tom Watson, after whom he is named, the 21-year-old from Hertfordshire carded an opening 65 which not only gave him a share of the lead but was also the lowest round ever by an amateur in Open history.
The claret jug was ultimately lifted by Darren Clarke, who claimed his first major at the age of 42.
