Gavin giving himself a Major shot at qualifying for US Open

PETALING JAYA: Two is better than one for Malaysia’s top golfer Gavin Kyle Green (pic).

Gavin wants to qualify for the US Open at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Course in New York from June 14-17 and make his second Major appearance.

The 24-year-old has already qualified for his first Major – the British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland, from July 19-22, by virtue of being the winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season.

But Gavin does not intend to wait until next month to make his debut.

He decided to give the US$12mil (RM47.72mil) US Open a shot by entering its sectional qualifying that will take place in Walton Health Golf Club in Surrey, England, on Monday.

Gavin will have to overcome a tough field of over 100 European hopefuls and also go through a gruelling one-day, 36-hole qualifier to become the first Malaysian to play in the US Open.

The number of spots offered will be known before the teeoff, but the England qualifier is expected to hand out at least 10 berths.

A total of 79 players have been exempted for the 156man field US Open.

They comprise mostly the Major winners of the past five years and the current top 50 players on the official World Golf Ranking.

It will be Gavin’s second attempt in as many years, and fourth overall.

Last year, he missed the topfour cut by five shots at the Springfield Country Club in Ohio, US.

Gavin also had two other bids while he was an amateur – including a near miss in 2013 at the Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Atlanta, where he bogeyed his final two holes to miss the cut by two shots.

Gavin will travel to England after this week’s European Tour Italian Open.

Gavin is on a hectic threeweek, back-to-back schedule in Europe. He finished tied 34th in the Belgian knockout and tied 52nd in the BMW PGA Championship last week.