Levy leads qualifiers for US Open as 

Harrington fails at Walton Heath

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Alexander Levy earned a debut appearance in next month’s US Open Championship after finishing one shot clear of India’s Shiv Kapur at the International Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath, as one-handed chipper Jason Palmer secured a Major championship debut.
Two-time European Tour winner Levy followed a six under par round of 66 on the Old Course in the morning with a five under par 67 on the New Course in the afternoon to finish on 11 under par 133, heading the 11 players to earn a spot at Chambers Bay Golf Club, in Washington.
A birdie on the final hole ensure he finished a stroke clear of Kapur at the top of the 82-player leaderboard to seal his second appearance in a Major championship, after sharing 30th position in last year’s US PGA Championship.
Englishman John Parry, who finished tied 28th at Merion two years ago, finished a further shot back on nine under par, while Sweden’s Alex Noren, who was one over par after 19 holes of the 36 hole qualifier, surged up the leaderboard with eight birdies and an eagle in the space of 15 holes to earn his third US Open appearance with a closing 64 to take fourth spot on eight under par.
Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard shared fifth position on seven under par with Englishman Palmer, who ensured there will be another notable storyline to emerge from Walton Heath, ten years after New Zealand’s Michael Campbell qualified and went on to win the US Open at Pinehurst.
After turning to chipping one handed to overcome the ‘yips’, Palmer is in his rookie season on The European Tour and he has vowed to continue using his unorthodox method when he tees it up in a Major Championship for the first time.
Germany’s Marcel Siem finished on six under par to take the seventh spot and the final four spots were decided by a play-off after Tjaart Van Der Walt carded a birdie and two eagles in his last six holes to make it a five-way tie for eighth place on five under par.
Australian Marcus Fraser progressed at the first extra hole, before the South African trio of Van Der Walt, Thomas Aiken and Garth Mulroy secured their spots at the third play-off hole, with Welshman Oliver Farr the man to miss out on a Major debut.
Farr had to settle for the one of the two alternate spot available for Chambers Bay, with Fabrizio Zanotti coming through a separate five man play-off to claim the second, with three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington, who had bogeyed his final hole in regulation play to slip out of the play-off for the final four US Open spots, again missing out.
Said the Irishman:
“It was disappointing to bogey the last. I nearly walked off after four holes this morning so I was surprised to have a chance at all. It was nice to get a run going on the back nine. It’s one too many, so it is disappointing, especially after making a few birdies and getting inside the mark.
“I struggled badly this morning (with the shoulder injury) and really struggled to hit it. It’s hard to play golf one handed. It did ease out though, but it hurt me again out of the heather on the 18th. I wouldn’t like to be teeing it up on Thursday that way, but it showed some good signs. It’s eased off quite a bit since last week though, which is good. Hopefully I will be healthy and fit and ready to go on Thursday (at the Irish Open).”
 
QUALIFIERS FOR US OPEN
Par 144 (2x72) 
133 A Levy (Fra) 66 67
134 S Kapur (Ind) 67 67
135 J Parry (Eng) 66 69
136 A Noren  (Swe) 72 64
137 J Palmer (Eng) 69 68; L Bjerregaard  (Den) 67 70
138 M Siem  (Ger) 70 68
139 (after play-off) G Mulroy (RSA) 73 66; T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 67; T Aiken (RSA) 71 68; M Fraser (Aus) 69 70.

FAILED TO QUALIFY
139 (lost play-off) O Farr (Wal) 72 67
140 K Broberg (Swe) 73 67; P Harrington (Irl) 72 68; E Grillo (Arg) 71 69; P Uihlein  (USA) 71 69; F Zanotti (Par) 71 69; S Walker (Eng) 70 70; E Goya (Arg) 68 72
 141 R Fisher (Eng) 74 67; L Jensen (Den) 72 69; A Dodt (Aus) 71 70; J Singh (Ind) 69 72; T Lewis (Eng) 69 72; B Evans  (Eng) 67 74;
 142 T Hatton (Eng) 72 70; W Ormsby (Aus) 72 70; S Lewton (Eng) 71 71;
 143 G Havret  (Fra) 74 69; R Rock (Eng) 74 69; R Karlsson (Swe) 73 70; A Hortal  (Esp) 73 70; T Pieters  (Bel) 73 70; M Orrin (Eng) 73 70; D Lipsky (USA) 72 71; C Shinkwin (Eng) 72 71; P Lawrie (Irl) 72 71; O Fisher  (Eng) 72 71; L Slattery (Eng) 72 71; R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 74;
 144 R Karlberg  (Swe) 75 69; R Kakko  (Fin) 74 70; J Carlsson (Swe) 73 71; G Maybin (Nir) 70 74; N Colsaerts  (Bel) 70 74; J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 69 75; J Edfors (Swe) 67 77;
 145 V Riu  (Fra) 73 72; D Brooks (Eng) 70 75; R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 70 75
 146 A Pavan (Ita) 76 70; J Scrivener (Aus) 76 70; K Ferrie (Eng) 73 73; J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 71 75
 147 M Ilonen  (Fin) 72 75; J Heath  (Eng) 72 75;
 148 S Hend (Aus) 76 72; P Martin Benavides (Esp) 76 72; J Walters (RSA) 71 77; M Crespi  (Ita) 71 77;
 149 M Madsen  (Den) 75 74; R McGowan  (Eng) 74 75;
 150 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 75 75; M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 74 76;
 151 M Ford (Eng) 72 79;
 152 L Weber (Fra) 78 74;




EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS