Pursuing a career in golf is not easy. Even the most naturally talented golfers in the world will tell stories of their struggles to find consistency and rise up the ranks. A great example of that would be Phil Mickelson, who, despite being incredibly skilled, had to work really hard for the first few years of his professional career to find his winning streak. But all that becomes even more challenging if you have limited resources available to train yourself. That’s the humble story of Richard Teder.
Do you not know who he is? Well, you won’t be the first, as before the Open Championship Final Qualifiers, no one knew who Teder was. But with his recent achievement, more fans want to get to know the young golfer better. So let’s learn more about Richard Teder, who holds an amazing record.
Who is Richard Teder?
Born on November 29, 2004, Richard Teder resides in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Although he has never revealed when he started playing golf, in an interview, he did state impressing someone older than him with his drive at a very young age. When he was 12, Teder said, “A man I played golf with about five years ago couldn’t understand how I could hit further than him – I was seven years old at the time. We still laugh about it. This nice golfing company motivates me,” according to Sport Land. His love for the sport was the driving force behind his continued growth.
Through the years, Teder improved his game and joined the amateur circuit. He played his first tournament at the end of August 2018, when he was only 13 years old. While he was still an amateur, the 2018 Estonian National Stroke Play Championship was a pro-level tournament. But Richard’s skills and abilities helped him push everyone on the field and finish 6th on the leaderboard. He hasn’t looked back since.
Teder has won 14 titles in his 7 years as an amateur golfer, averaging 2 wins in a season. His best year was in 2023, when he won 4 consecutive championships. Within 10 weeks, the 20-year-old captured the Triple A European Open and Triple A European Final in Spain and then went back to his home country to win the Estonian Amateur Open and the Estonian Match Play Open in consecutive weeks. He has also been awarded the Best Male Golfer in Estonia for two consecutive years. However, his biggest achievement would still be the one he conquered in 2025.
As confirmed by Monday Q Info, Richard Teder has qualified for the 2025 Open Championship. A playoff eagle at West Lancashire helped him finish 4th in the Final Qualifiers. With that, he made history by becoming the first Estonian to qualify for the Open Championship. Fans will get to witness him play at Royal Portrush from July 17-20, 2025.
Estonia has a population of just 1.4 million, basically half of the size of Chicago.
It has just nine golf courses.
Amateur Richard Teder grew up there, lives there, has won basically every event there.
And he just holed out for eagle on the third playoff hole to earn a…
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) July 1, 2025
Teder is undoubtedly progressing towards a great career in golf. But there is more to him than just his life on the course. Let’s learn about the personal life of a young star from Estonia.
Interests outside golf
Golf is not the only sport that piques the interest of Richard Teder. Like any other professional player, the Estonian is also intrigued by other sports like billiards, basketball, soccer, table tennis, and those related to trampolines. There might be a few more additions to this list as he mentioned them when he was just 12 years old. And like many pre-teens, his favorite snack back then was dried bananas, strawberries, and apricots.
Speaking of his other interests, Teder has mentioned how he loves watching biographies. Although he did enjoy watching The Hitman’s Bodyguard with his sister. If he ever received an opportunity to design a golf course, it would ideally be by the sea in windy conditions. Something tells us he would love to play at Pebble Beach. While he may design golf courses by the water some time in the future, right now, Richard Teder is not just making waves; he’s forging history.
The post Meet Richard Teder: Ethnicity, Personal Life, Career & More About Golfer Who Qualified for the Open 2025 appeared first on EssentiallySports.