Lowry leads way at US Open qualifier

SHA NE L O W RY maintained his form from the BMW PGA Championship as he booked his spot at next month’s US Open by winning the 36-hole qualifying event, as Scotland’s Chris Doak booked a return trip.

The Irishman f inished runner-up at Wentworth to Rory McIlroy at the weekend, but put any disappointment to one side by carding an eight-under-par overall score in heavy wind and rain at Walton Heath Golf Club.

He recorded a 69 on the new course in the morning before a 67 on the old course clinched one of the 14 qualifying places from the 105-man event.

“It was really tough out there,” Lowry said on www. europeantour.com.

“I played OK and putted really well. I holed a lot of six to eight footers for par and carried a lot of momentum in from yesterday.”

Doak, who also qualif ied last year, followed his morning 68 with a 71 to finish among the nine to automatically qualify alongside Lowry.

The others were English duo Simon Griffiths and Graeme Storm, Niclas Fasth, Marcel Siem, Max Kieffer, Garth Mulroy, Shiv Kapur and Brooks Koepka.

But six players had to play-off for the four remaining spots at the second major of the season.

Oliver Fisher, Tom Lewis, A ndrea Pavan and Lucas Bjerregaard sealed their places, meaning Morten Madsen and Danny Willett had to be content with alternate places.

A mong t hose who missed out were Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Scots Marc Warren, Scott Jamieson, J amie McLear y and Duncan Stewart.

PA. Chris Doak: came through qualifying again.