Tuesday 31 May 2011

Monty misses out on US Open spot

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Colin Montgomerie failed to qualify for the US Open after posting a one-over-par total of 145 in the European qualifying tournament at Walton Heath.
It means that the Scot will not take part in the second Major of the year at Congressional, the course where he finished second to Ernie Els in 1997.
Irish star Shane Lowry earn a place in the June 16-19 tournament after rounds of 67 and 69 while France's Thomas Levet also claimed one of the 11 spots just a shot behind Lowry.
Scotland's former US Amateur champion Richie Ramsay was furious, however, after missing out on a play-off to decide the final berth when he left the event early to try to attend a friend's wedding reception.
Ramsay went back to the Walton Heath course on the outskirts of London but missed the start of the play-off by a matter of minutes. Johan Edfors took the final spot in near darkness when the Swede beat Denmark's Andreas Harto at the first extra hole.
"I feel suicidal right now," Ramsay said after dashing back to the course, having already missed his flight to fellow professional Gareth Maybin's wedding reception in any case.
Former Ryder Cup player Thomas Levet of France and China Open champion Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium were also among the 11 qualifiers for the U.S. Open.
Joining Lowry and Levet at Congressional will be Dutchman Maarten Lafeber, British quartet Robert Rock, Stephen Gallacher, Robert Dinwiddie and David Howell, Swede Alexander Noren and German Marcel Siem.
Ryder Cup captain Montgomerie had boosted his confidence before Monday's 36-hole qualifying tournament with a seventh-place finish in the PGA at Wentworth on Sunday, his best result in three years - but he was philosophical after his failure to fire at Walton Heath.
"If you don't enter you can't win -- I gave it a go," said the Scot. "That's hard work -- it was miserable out there."
Ross Fisher also shot one over par to mean that his only hope of making the field is to break into the world's top 50 by the end of next week. The Englishman, who challenged for the US Open title at Bethpage Black two years ago, is currently 52nd in the rankings

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