Nine earn US Open berths following last-gasp success at Walton Heath – Golf News

Grant Forrest, Richard Mansell and Brandon Robinson-Thompson shared the top spot in the Final Qualifying tournament held at Walton Heath Golf Club next month for the US Open in North Carolina.

All three finished at ten under par after 36 holes at the famed Surrey course, where a competitor plays one round on each of the Old and Bowl courses. Nine spots were up for grabs at the third men's Major Championship of the year.

Robinson-Thompson was the first to reach 10 under par and will make his US Open debut at Pinehurst, less than a year after playing in his first Major Championship at the 151st Open at Hoylake.

The Englishman, who is based in the United States and previously lived in South Carolina, followed up his opening round of 68 with a six-under 66. He was joined on ten under by Richard Mansell, who was making his US Open debut. in 2022, with Scotland's Forrest, who will be playing in his first US Open.

ROCK IS BACK FOR YEARS

Robert Rock, who retired from the DP World Tour after the 2022 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, made a stunning comeback as the 47-year-old carded rounds of 69 and 66 to finish nine under par.

After hearing he had qualified for Pinehurst, Rock said: “It's hard to explain. I didn't really have any thoughts of fitness. I thought it was my last chance to play this event and a good chance to see where my game has come from in a few years. I thought as I walked in, I saw where I was going. I played with James Morrison and had a great day. “

He went on to say: “I wasn't sure if I could play two rounds, I was playing nine holes and then the back nine got hurt because my back is not good at the moment. It happened today, I was struggling on the back nine. Thank you, my friend came to push the cart. I didn't think I was going to make 36, but it's amazing how many putts were made. “

Rock was joined on the back nine by Yorkshireman Sam Bairstow, who holed a seven-footer for par on the 36th hole to post rounds of 68 and 67, avoiding the prospect of a playoff.

“I had a ropey start today, but from my ninth hole onwards it was good,” Bairstow commented. “I'm very happy to finish with that seven-meter player at the end. It looked slow, but luckily it was straight up, so it wasn't too bad of a putt. I thought there would be three or four people coming down from Sheffield to watch me, so to see 12 or 15 of them was great. When you hole a birdie putt it motivates you, so it was good to have them there. “

Also earning their spots at the US Open were Italian pair Matteo Manassero and Edoardo Molinari, Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin and Australia's Jason Scrivener, all of whom faced a terrifying wait after reaching eight below the number of teams still to qualify.

In the end a play-off was required to decide the two alternative places available. Five competitors finished seven under par, with Casey Jarvis and Andrea Pavan gaining additional spots after four more holes.

Of the 102 players who participated in the tournament, 26 withdrew or quit after the first round or at the beginning of the second round.

For all the points from Final Qualifying at Walton Heath, click here.