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Aussie battler wins US Open golf start

3 minute read

Australians Rod Pampling, Alistair Presnell and Anthony Summers have qualified for the US Open at sectional qualifiers across the US.

Little-known Anthony Summers joined fellow Australians Rod Pampling and Alistair Presnell in qualifying on Monday (Tuesday AEST) for next week's US Open golf championship.

Summers, a 42-year-old journeyman who has never played in a US PGA Tour event, let alone a major, won his sectional qualifying tournament in Chicago to book his Open berth at Olympic Club in San Francisco.

With only two spots available in Chicago, the OneAsia Tour member was brilliant in the 36-hole event, shooting 66 and 67 for an 11-under total.

"Playing in a major is the pinnacle of our profession," Summers, the world No.830 said.

"I'll be smiling all week."

In Columbus, Ohio, at the biggest of 11 sectionals across the US, US Tour veteran Pampling scrambled brilliantly on his way to a tie for ninth at one-under-par, good enough to grab one of 16 tickets to San Francisco.

With gusty winds and extremely hard and fast greens reeking havoc on the field, Pampling remained staunch, making clutch par saves throughout his round.

He'll now play in his seventh US Open, his first since 2009.

"I'm really excited and looking forward to being back in the US Open," Pampling said.

"It was a really tough day out there but it's great to get something out of it.

"It's been tough the last few years missing majors. It will be great having the big galleries around, I seem to play well when I have the buzz of big crowds."

Presnell was forced into a four-way play-off for just two spots in Texas.

American Brian Rowell grabbed the first spot with an early birdie while Cory Whitsett bowed out with a bogey, leaving the Australian battling former dual US Junior Amateur champion Jordan Spieth for the final spot.

Presnell managed to two-putt the par five 18th from 35-feet while Spieth couldn't do the same from 20-feet, missing a six-foot birdie putt to hand Presnell his place.

Pampling, Presnell and Summers join Adam Scott, Jason Day, John Senden, Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeley and Brendan Jones in the Open field.

Several Australians, including Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Marc Leishman, Nick O'Hern and Bryden Macpherson missed out.

Gavin Coles, Nathan Green, Matthew Jones and Steven Bowditch will have a chance on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) after their sectional in Memphis was postponed because of heavy rain.