Yorkshire trio fail to advance from US Open qualifiers

DANNY WILLETT could not add a major championship debut to his growing reputation after failing yesterday to qualify for next month's US Open.

Following his fifth place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the 22-year-old Rotherham Golf Club star left himself with too much to do after a morning round 73 at Walton Heath, and despite a 66 in round two, he missed out on one of the 11 places on offer at Pebble Beach by two shots.

There was also disappointment for Harrogate's John Parry and Hull's Richard Finch, particularly after their opening rounds had put them in contention to progress.

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Parry, who played alongside Willett and Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup, fired an opening 66 in round one but a first major championship appearance to cap an encouraging rookie season on the European Tour evaporated with a 75.

Finch opened with a 69 but equally could not force his way into the qualifying 11 as a closing 72 saw him fall four shots shy.

And Simon Khan, winner of the PGA at Wentworth just 24 hours earlier, lost in a play-off for the final five places last night when he was the only one of six players not to birdie the first hole.

Spain's Pablo Martin, French pair Gregory Havret and Jean-Francois Lucquin, Mikko Ilonen of Finland and Sweden's Rikard Karlberg progressed.

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Surrey's James Morrison qualified with the best two-round score of 133.

That was two better than Argentina's Rafa Echenique, while a shot behind but also catching a plane to Pebble Beach are Welshman Rhys Davies, Ireland's Gareth Maybin and England's Gary Boyd. The gruelling 36-hole format claimed a number of high-profile victims, notably Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie.

He said: "Same old story for six years. I'll try again at Sunningdale."

That was a reference to the Open Championship qualifier in two weeks' time, when he – along with Finch, Willett and Parry – will be trying to earn a place at St Andrews.

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