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Golf Monthly
Golf Monthly
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Michael Weston

Walton Heath US Open Qualifying: Who Made It And Who Missed Out?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s been a day of high drama at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, where US Open Qualifying concluded after 36 holes on the famous New and Old Courses.

With just seven places available, there wasn’t much room for error, and the final automatic spot had to be decided in a playoff.

Nathan Kimsey, Matthew Jordan, Angel Hidalgo, Niklas Nørgaard, Rocco Repetto Taylor, and Fillipo Celli all avoided that after sealing their automatic spots in regulation play.

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England’s Kimsey (-14) shot a second-round 62 on the New Course to win by two shots, with Repetto Taylor’s putting two 66s together to finish second on -12.

With Jordan, Hidalgo, Nørgaard, and Celli all finishing in tied third at -11, it left four players stranded on -10 to battle it out for the one remaining spot.

Ugo Coussaud, Hennie Du Plessis, Andrew Wilson, and Thomas Detry went to extra holes, and it was Frenchman Coussaud who prevailed.

South Africa's du Plessis, who birdied the last six holes to get to -10, had to settle for one of two alternate spots along with England's Wilson.

Walton Heath US Open final qualifying leaderboard

  • 1 -14 Nathan Kimsey ENG (Q)
  • 2 -12 Rocco Repetto Taylor ESP (Q)
  • T3 -11 Niklas Norgaard NOR (Q)
  • T3 -11 Matthew Jordan ENG (Q)
  • T3 -11 Angel Hidalgo ESP (Q)
  • T3 -11 Filippo Celli ITA (Q)
  • 7 -10 Ugo Coussaud FRA (Q)*

*Wins playoff

  • 8 -10 Hennie Du Plessis (alternate spot)
  • 9 -10 Andrew Wilson (alternate spot)
  • 10 -10 Thomas Detry

View full Walton Heath US Open Final Qualifying leaderboard

Live updates from...

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the Walton Heath US Open Final Qualifier. Stay tuned to see which seven players will book their spot in next month's Major at Shinnecock Hills.

A HUGE DAY

Mondays are usually fairly quiet days in the golf world. However, less than 24 hours after Aaron Rai's incredible victory at the PGA Championship, and the attention has switched to US Open Qualifying.

THE LONG WAIT

South Africa's Brandon Stone is currently in the clubhouse T7. Only the top seven players automatically qualify for next month's US Open.

Asked what he's going to do now, he replied: "Maybe have a couple of chicken tendies, seven cappuccinos, two blackcurrant lemonades, scroll through Instagram, chat to the family back home.

He said that he set the alarm for 4.30am this morning. "US Open at Shinnecock would be amazing. If you gave me eight under par at 5.15am this morning I would have taken it."

JORDAN GOING LOW

What a back nine from Matthew Jordan, who has just joined the group at -11. The Englishman is eight under in round two with a hole to play. Five birdies in a row from the 13th. That'll get the job done.

LEADERBOARD

It's getting tight at the top. Really tight.

  • -11 Angel Hidalgo
  • -11 Niklas Norgaard
  • -11 Matthew Jordan
  • -10 Ugo Coussaud
  • -10 Thomas Detry
  • -10 Hennie Du Plessis
  • -10 Joakim Lagergren
  • -10 Rocco Repetto Taylor

LIV PLAYERS AT WALTON HEATH

Here's how the LIV contingent are getting on at Walton Heath...

Sam Horsfield (Majesticks GC) In at +1, currently tied 60th
Thomas Detry (4Aces GC) In at -10, currently T4
Victor Perez (Cleeks GC) -5 through 14, currently T20

5 AT THE TOP

We now have five players at -11. Matthew Jordan looks to have secured his spot with a second-round 64, the joint-low round of the day.

ALL BUT GUARANTEED

You'd have to be disappointed if a 62 on the New Course at Walton Heath didn't get you a spot on the US Open. That's what Angel Hidalgo did in round one, and he's sitting pretty at -11.

He said after his round that he was thinking of a 59 (thought it was a par 71 or 70). He had three good chances on the final three holes. Ah well, should be good enough...

5 IN A ROW

Rocco Repetto Taylor has matched Matthew Jordan there with a run of five successive birdies. He's the new leader at -12. A fine pair of 66s from the Spaniard. Better get that VISA sorted.

LOTS OF WITHDRAWALS

Doesn't seem right, this. I know it must feel pointless when you know you're too far back to qualify, but withdrawing halfway through the round?

17 players have currently either retired/withdrawn, so I guess it's the norm.

BIRDIE BLITZ

Hennie Du Plessis birdied his final six holes to get to -10. Will it be enough? He's currently T7. Remember, only the top seven get an automatic place at next month's US Open.

LEADERBOARD UPDATE

Some nail biting going on at Walton Heath right now.

(Image credit: DP World Tour)

KIMSEY ON THE CHARGE

Nathan Kimsey hasn't put a foot wrong today. He opened with two 2s and is seven under for his second round with three holes to play, one of which is a par 5. He's looking good for that automatic spot...

MAKE THAT -9

These rounds aren't quite the six-hour slogs that we're used to seeing in Major Championships. Kimsey is now -9 with two to play. He'll be at the US Open, barring a disaster on the final two holes, of course.

KIMSEY LOVING THE NEW

That's -10 on the New. There won't be a 59 because Kimsey got sloppy between holes three and six, where he made four straight pars. However, with two eagles on the card, no dropped shots, and six birdies (one hole to play), he's earned a spot at next month's US Open. A good day's work.

A 62 FROM KIMSEY

The last 40 minutes or so has all been about how low Kimsey could do. The answer is 62, -10. He's off to the US Open next month.

THOSE RETIRED...

Includes Marcus Armitage, Antoine Rozner and Guido Migliozzi.

THE PLAYOFF

Nathan Kimsey shot a second-round 10-under-par 62 to win US Open Qualifying. Matthew Jordan, Angel Hidalgo, Niklas Nørgaard, Rocco Repetto Taylor and Fillipo Celli have also qualified. Thomas Detry, Hennie Du Plessis, Ugo Coussaud and Andrew Wilson will head to a 4-for-1 playoff.

QUALIFIED

Angel Hidalgo has secured his spot at Shinnecock Hills.

UGO WINS IT

The seven qualifiers are as follows: Nathan Kimsey, Rocco Repetto Taylor, Filippo Celli, Matthew Jordan, Angel Hidago, Niklas Norgaard, and Ugo Coussaud. The Frenchman wins a four-man playoff for thre last spot.

HOW IT FINISHED

With Ugo winning the playoff, it meant that Hennie du Plessis and Andrew Wilson got the alternate spots for finishing second and third. Thomas Detry missed out.

WHO MISSED OUT?

As it became clear what the qualifying number was, quite a few players called it a day. The following players missed out...

  • -9 Dan Bradbury
  • -9 Joakim Lagergren
  • -8 Sebastian Garcia
  • -8 Frederic Lacroix
  • -8 Tapio Pulkkanen
  • -8 Jason Scrivener
  • -8 Brandon Stone

OTHER NOTABLE NAMES TO MISS OUT

Ewen Ferguson (-6), Rafa Cabrera Bello (-5), Ross Fisher (-5), Victor Perez (-5), Matthew Baldwin (-4), Jorge Campillo (-3), Thriston Lawrence (-3), Matthew Southgate (-3), Edoardo Molinari (-1), Sam Horsfield (+1), Matteo Manassero (+1), Marcus Armitage (RETD), Guido Migliozzi (W/D), Antoine Rozner (RETD).

HEADING FOR AMERICA...

Here's how Niklas Norgaard secured his qualifying spot. A few golfers watching on at a gorgeous Walton Heath. The crowds will be a little bigger at Shinnecock next month.

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