Less than a month before the third Major of the year, the US Open at Pinehurst No.2, three of 13 final qualifiers were held on Monday, with 23 places secured – and one dramatic and high-profile elimination right at the end of a mammoth day of action…
One of the qualifiers, which each took place over 36 holes, was held in Japan, where three local players, Ryo Ishikawa, Riki Kawamoto and Taisei Shimizu, booked their places. There was disappointment for LIV Golf’s Scott Vincent, though, who narrowly missed out, along with another player from the circuit, Jinichiro Kozuma.
After that, the focus turned to Walton Heath in England, where nine more spots were up for grabs.
One of the most intriguing names to qualify at the event was Robert Rock. The Englishman will make his first US Open appearances 2012 after signing off his DP World Tour career in 2022 after 465 starts.
Rock told the DP World Tour: “It’s difficult to describe. I really didn’t have any thoughts of qualifying. I thought it was my last chance of playing this event and a good opportunity to see where my game was having been out of it for a couple of years. I thought while I could still enter, I’d see where I’d fit. I played with James Morrison and had such a good day.
“I wasn’t sure I could play two rounds, I’ve been playing mostly nine holes and then the back nine has hurt because my back isn’t the best at the moment. It did today, I was struggling on the back nine. Thankfully my mate came to push the trolley. I didn’t think I’d make 36, but it’s amazing what making a few putts does.”
It will be 47-year-old Rock’s third appearance at the tournament, where he will be hoping to roll back the years and rediscover the form that saw him finish T23 at the Major 13 years ago.
Robert Rock will make his first US Open start in 12 years at Pinehurst No.2
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Another notable name to qualify is Italian five-time DP World Tour winner Matteo Manassero. He got over the line by one shot to continue a resurgence that included victory at the Jonsson Workwear Open in March – his first in 3,942 days, after spells on the Alps Tour and Challenge Tour.
The other qualifiers from Walton Heath were Scot Grant Forrest, the English trio of Richard Mansell, Brandon Robinson-Thompson and Sam…
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