Ireland’s Paul McGinley has reluctantly withdrawn from Monday’s 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Walton Heath.

McGinley has contested only four U.S. Open’s in his career and the last in 2006.

Paul McGinley electing not to tee up in the U.S. Open qualifier at Walton Heath. (Photo - Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie)

The triple Ryder Cup winning star cited he is focusing his attention on qualifying for July’s British Open.

“I really want to qualify for the British Open and unfortunately it’s the worst week of the year for me, as it’s the week of the Irish Open,” said McGinley during this week’s BMW PGA Championship.

“I was leading after two rounds the 1996 Open at Lytham and St. Annes, so that’s what why I really want to be playing there this year.

“But I was up at Portrush last month and played 18 holes with my 11-year old son, Killian who had the first ever birdie of his life at ‘Calamity’.

“It was very wind.  It’s some 210-yards and he nailed the driver.  It pitches over the ridge, jumps up on the green and runs on to 25-feet, and then holed the putt.

“He was so pleased he ran around the green.”

However McGinley is delighted to be playing all four rounds of the BMW PGA Championship with scores of 73, 71 and 73 for a one over par par tally after missing the cut last year.

“At present, the game is a series of small battles for me and one of them this week was making the cut, so I’m pleased I achieved that,” he said.

“So this is a small step among many small steps I need to create larger momentum for this season.”