Sweden’s Alex Noren and Scotland’s Marc Warren has qualified for next month’s U.S. Open in blistering manner in the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath.
The Callaway-attached Noren added a four under par 68 in superb and hot conditions on the New Course to his earlier round of 67 on the New Course.
It will be the second straight year the affable Swede has won through to golf’s traditional second Major.
“I am very happy to qualify given I was really tired this morning after playing Wentworth last week,” he said.
“Fortunately the weather has continued to be really good and there is a lot of birdies to be made out there and the putts were sinking for me.
“I went through this qualifying last year it proved a turnaround in my season because I have always wanted to play a U.S. Open.
“I played Congressional last year where Rory (McIlroy) won and played all four rounds, so I was really pleased.
“So it’s just great to be going back again.”
Warren will make his Major’s debut after two prior attempts in 2007 and 2008 to qualify from Walton Heath after rounds of 70 and then a 65.
“I’m very pleased as I’ve never played a Major before and it’s going to be a pretty exciting couple of weeks coming up,” he said.
“I’m now heading to the Wales Open this week, so I’m going there now full of confidence, and then I will play in Sweden the week after, and the good thing is that event finishes on Saturday so that will give me that extra day to prepare when I get to San Francisco.
“But I couldn’t be more happy and really looking forward to the championship.”
Others to qualifier included England’s Lee Slattery (71-67), Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (67 & 70), Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (68 & 69), Finland’s Mikko Illonen (66 & 71) and South African George Coetzee (66 & 71).
Another five – England’s Mattthew Baldwin (67 &71), Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin (70 & 68), Ireland’s Peter Lawrie (67 & 71), Italy’s Matteo Manassero (69 & 69) and Korean Shirwan Kim (66 & 72) were involved in a play-off for the four remaining spots.
Kim bowed out at the second extra hole when he found a greenside bunker and took bogey.
