England’s Simon Khan bounced back from the disappointment of losing the BMW PGA Championship with a first round 67 in today’s 36-hole US Open qualifier at Walton Heath.
Khan is among five players shooting 67s and with fellow England player, John Parry leading after the first round with a six under par 66.
The 2010 BMW PGA champion birdied his second and third holes, dropped shots at the next two and after a birdie at eight and a bogey at nine, Khan birdied five of his closing nine holes – 10, 11, 14, 16 and the last.
Simon Khan among five players shooting 67s in the first round US Open qualifier at Walton Heath. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Khan lost a four-hole play-off to Matteo Manassero and with the Italian’s Wentworth victory sending him straight into next month’s US Open in Pennsylvania.
However it meant Khan joining 93 other players today looking to gain one of the 12 places available into the US Open.
“I felt really tired this morning and didn’t sleep all that well, so I wasn’t sure what to expect out there today,” said Khan
“I hit a few balls into the net before tee off like the old days, and that worked well as I started really well and with the first six holes playing really tough in the windy conditions.
“So to get through them in level par was good and then on the back nine I managed to make my score with five birdies, and that was very nice.”
Also shooting five under par 67 is Sweden’s Peter Hedblom, Denmark’s Morten Orum Madsen and Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal.
Last year’s victorious European Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal boosted hopes of a first US Open appearance in five years with nine birdies but also three bogeys and a 12th hole double bogey in a four under par 68
Scotland’s Marc Warren, who was the first to drop out of Sunday’s three-man play-off at Wentworth posted a one under par 71.
However the afternoon’s final round has seen a large number of withdrawals including reigning Scottish Open champion, Jeev Milka Singh struggling with a right index finger injury and shooting a 75.
The India golfer has now withdrawn from this week’s Nordea Open in Sweden and next week’s Lyoness Open in Austria.
Twenty-four of the 94 starters have withdrawn after one round is Ireland’s Shane Lowry (75), Scotland’s Scott Jamieson (78) and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros (79).
