Dredge to complete his Majors grand slam
BRADLEY Dredge will play in his first US Open after finishing joint fifth in the qualifying event at Walton Heath.
Joint leader after a first round 62 on Sunday, the Welshman slipped down the leader board with a second-round 71 but stil qualified on 11 under par.
Fellow Welshman David Boote missed out on one of the 15 qualifying places in a seven-way playoff.
The amateur also fired a 62 in the first round, but two bogeys on the back nine on Monday saw him slip from the automatic qualifying places.
“It was nice to be one of only two players to shot a club record 10 under par 62 around the [Walton Heath] new course but I also made sure I would complete the major grand slam, having previously only played The Masters, The Open and The USPGA,” said Dredge.
The qualifying event was won by Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai, with Andrew “Beef ” Johnston also among the qualifiers for the 117th US Open at Erin Hills, Wisconsin, from June 12-18.
LAUREN Hillier produced some high-quality golf to win the Welsh women’s Championship over the tree- lined Wrexham course yesterday.
The 34-year-old former Gwent champion from Newport lifted the title with a comfortable 4 and 3 victory in the final over Alice Barnes from the Wesy Sussex club at Pullborough.
The plus two handicapper a reinstated amateur lost only two holes in the final – the 7th and 11th.
She has joyed a successful season so far finishing in the top ten at Roehampton,winning the Tenby scratch and being 15th in the Welsh Open stroke-play championship.
In the final Hillier got off to a flyer winning four of the first five holes and she then maintained a vice- like grip on the proceedings.
“I am absolutely thrilled. Things were difficult at the beginning of the tournament because of the wind but it got better and the curse played superbly today,”said the new champion.
Her highlight was a quarterfinal success over Nia Grevilleshe was two under par in prevailing.
Hillier beat Olivia Kelly 3 and 2 in the semi- finals while Barnes prevented it from being an allNewport final by overcoming Jordan Ryan on the home green.