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Rose withers, Lehman qualifies for US Open

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-09 09:24

Justin Rose of England celebrates his victory at the 18th hole after winning the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio June 6, 2010. [Agencies]

Lowry and Montgomerie lead the way in British Open qualifying

NEW YORK - Former major winners Tom Lehman, Ben Curtis and Davis Love III qualified on Monday for next week's US Open but one day after taking his first US Tour victory Briton Justin Rose withered in the 36-hole qualifier.

Rose, who finished 18-under-par to win the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, by three strokes, posted four-under 140 in nearby Columbus and joined Memorial runnerup Rickie Fowler outside of a group of 15 which qualified for Pebble Beach.

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A total of 60 berths for the US Open were on offer in 13 sectional qualifying tournaments.

Former British Open champions Lehman and Curtis both posted 135, while 1997 PGA Championship winner Love just hit the mark at 137 as did 2008 Open runnerup Rocco Mediate, who lost a 19-hole playoff to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines.

Australians Aaron Baddeley and Stuart Appleby were also among Columbus qualifiers, with Appleby finishing second on 134, a distant seven shots behind Eric Axley.

Andres Romero of Argentina (141), Jeev Milkha Singh of India (143) and US Ryder Cup player JB Holmes (144) also failed to qualify from the 120-man event in Columbus.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo also missed out when he withdrew after a second weather delay at The Woodlands near Houston forced suspension of the second round until Tuesday.

Romo, who shot one-under 71 in the first round and opened his second round with a quadruple bogey, said he could not return on Tuesday because of commitments to his NFL team. The quarterback was among 36 players competing for two spots.

Brian Davis, who called a penalty on himself this season during a playoff against Jim Furyk at the Verizon Heritage, was rewarded with a trip to Pebble Beach by shooting nine-under 131 to claim one of three berths on offer at Springfield, Ohio.

US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin missed out on matching European Ryder counterpart Colin Montgomerie, who qualified on Monday for the British Open.

Pavin, the 1995 Open winner, finished fourth at Woodstock, Illinois, where the top two players advanced.

Tom Kite was denied a return to the scene of his lone major triumph at the 1992 US Open at Pebble Beach, when he finished third at Littleton, Colorado, where two spots were available.

Monty fires a 62

In London, Shane Lowry and Montgomerie fired record-equalling 62s to lead the way in British Open international final qualifying (Europe) on Monday.

Irish professional Lowry carded his eight-under-par 62 on the Old Course as he topped two-round qualifying on 11-under 129 at Sunningdale on the outskirts of London.

Montgomerie's 62 came on the more difficult New Course as he finished joint second on 131 with fellow Scot Andrew Coltart.

Montgomerie has never missed a British Open since making his debut in 1990 at St Andrews, venue of next month's championship.

"It is a special place, no question, and I'm just glad the opportunity has been taken," said the eight-time European No 1.

"I said to my caddie I'll be 47 when the Open comes round and this will probably be my last opportunity to play the Open at St Andrews."

Lowry, who was an amateur when he won last year's Irish Open, was delighted to clinch his debut in a major championship.

"St Andrews is going to be great," he said. "I said at the start of the year it's the one tournament I wanted to play".

The other seven qualifiers were Britons Gareth Maybin and Bradley Dredge, Spanish pair Jose Manuel Lara and Ignacio Garrido, Argentina's Tano Goya, Dane Thomas Bjorn and Marcel Siem of Germany.

Reuters