This Monday two final qualifying events for the US Open next June are being contested, one in the United States and the other in England. And from the latter comes great news for Spanish golf. The Malaga natives Rocco Repetto and Ángel Hidalgo have each secured one of the seven spots on offer, meaning they will join the roster of the Armada at the third major of the season, scheduled for 18–21 June at Shinnecock Hills in the exclusive Long Island area of New York.
In this English qualifier, held at the Walton Heath Golf Club in Walton on the Hill, Surrey, two rounds have been played. Repetto put on a real display, carding two rounds of 66 for a final 12 under par that left him in second place. Hidalgo, meanwhile, began with an impressive 62 in his first pass around the British course, then played the second with a calculator in hand and signed for a 71 to reach 11 under, tied for third. Enough to secure a passport to the US Open.
“This morning I played very well and I would even say I could have done less, honestly. I missed three very clear chances on the last three holes to make 59. And this afternoon it’s true that the weather started to turn quite bad, so I didn’t think we’d reach double digits, the people coming from behind were a long way back. So, whether you like it or not, you start to pace yourself, but playing solidly I hit 33 of 36 greens in regulation. But you’re no longer so aggressive so as not to complicate things”, admitted an exultant Hidalgo to Ten-Golf immediately after finishing his round. It’s the third time Ángel has reached a Major and all via qualifiers
Repetto, also exclusively for Ten-Golf, says: “Very well, to be honest good feelings. I started this morning making long putts, not very sharp off the tee for the first 9 or 10 holes, some missed opportunities between 14 and 18, and in the second round, trying to find the rhythm in the first four or five holes and, from there, flowing. I knew that if I reached 12 or 13 well the five consecutive par fives were coming and I could make birdies. I’ve hit good tee shots, finding many fairways, no bogeys since the last round at El Prat, so very happy”.
Alongside the Spaniards, Italian Filippo Celli, the Englishmen Matthew Jordan and Nathan Kimsey — the latter the leader at fourteen under — and Dane Niklas Noorgard also qualified. The seventh spot will be contested by several players in a playoff after the two rounds finished tied at 10 under. A total of 80 players took part in the final qualifying event for the US Open, including six more Spaniards: Sebastián García, who fell just short with eight under, Alfredo García Heredia, with seven under, Rafa Cabrera Bello, with five under, Alejandro del Rey, with four under, and Jorge Campillo, with three under. Iván Cantero withdrew halfway through his second round
This Monday, another qualifier in the United States
A second qualifier for the US Open is also being played today, on the Blue Course and Gold Course at the Dallas Athletic Club in Dallas, Texas. There are also representatives of Spanish golf taking part: José Luis Ballester, Eugenio López Chacarra and Sergio García. In the coming weeks the final qualifiers for the third major of the season will be played, with the New York event the target for Ángel Ayora. David Puig, meanwhile, secured a spot with his top-20 finish at the PGA Championship, earning enough points to break into the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking
