NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R AND A

FOUR MORE AMERICANS WIN PLACES 

IN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

George McNeill, Chris Stroud, Cameron Tringale and Billy Hurley III qualified for The Open Championship after the final round of the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia on Sunday

McNeill finished on 14-under-par, two shots behind the winner Angel Cabrera. Stroud, Tringale and Hurley III finished on nine-under-par in a tie for fourth and gained their places thanks to their higher positions in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) than Bud Cauley and Will Wilcox.
Keegan Bradley and Brendon Todd, who finished on the same mark, were already exempt, as was Webb Simpson who finished third.

The Greenbrier Classic is part of the Open Qualifying Series which gives players from the world’s leading Tours a chance to qualify for The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool from 17-20 July.

McNeill shot a nine-under-par 61 in his final round. The 38-year-old from Florida had a hole-in-one at the par three 8th hole after four consecutive birdies from the 4th hole.
 Three more birdies followed on the back nine for McNeill, who played in the 2010 Open at St Andrews.

He said, “To qualify for The Open Championship is an absolute bonus. I like links golf but I haven’t played enough of it to know how to play it. I am going to try to get over there a few days early to get used to it and get used to the time change.

“It’s going to mean a lot to me. Playing in Major Championships is what we are out here for. That is where the game started over there so I am really looking forward to it.”

Stroud carded a one-under-par 69. The 32-year-old from Texas has played in the US Open and the USPGA Championship and will join two of his college mates from Lamar University in Texas at The Open: Shawn Stefani and Dawie van der Walt.

“This will be my first time in The Open Championship,” he said. “Today obviously the main goal was to get in to The Open and to try to win the golf tournament.  What a cool way to qualify. 
"I really like the new system this year and it made me think about playing every single event. Everybody on Tour tells me it’s the best tournament in the world. To be able to play in The Open Championship, the one that started everything, is very exciting.”

Tringale, who played on the winning American team in the 2009 Walker Cup match, also came in with a one-under-par 69. The 26-year-old from California played in the 2012 USPGA Championship and will make his first appearance in The Open.

“I decided to do what I could today and try to finish as high as I could,” he said. “It feels good. It was one of my goals this year to get into the Major Championships. I am really excited.”

Third round leader Hurley III finished with a three-over-par 73. Hurley III served in the US Navy and played for the American team in the 2005 Walker Cup.  The 32-year-old qualified for last month’s US Open at Pinehurst and finished tied 48th in his first Major Championship appearance. He joins his 2004 American Palmer Cup teammate Stroud in The Open.

“It’s great. I was thinking about it on the last couple of holes, looking at the leaderboard and trying to do the maths in my head. I knew what was at stake for The Open. I am really excited to play in my second Major and my first Open Championship.
"I played Ballybunion in the Palmer Cup when I was still in college so I am looking forward to the different challenge that Royal Liverpool will present.”

The next events in The Open Qualifying Series, which comprises 14 events in nine countries on five continents, are the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen this week.

For more information visit TheOpen.com.

Ends.