Golf

Shane Lowry qualifies for US Open to complete great 48 hours

Irish golfer shoots rounds of 69 and 67 at Walton Heath to secure trip to Pinehurst

Shane Lowry of Ireland celebrates holing a birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Shane Lowry of Ireland celebrates holing a birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Mon May 26 2014 - 18:16

Shane Lowry believes he is ready to mix it with the best players in the world after completing a dream 48 hours in Surrey by winning the qualifier for next month's US Open at Pinehurst in North Carolina.

Lowry topped the field after a gruelling 36 holes in very wet conditions at Walton Heath, adding a five-under 67 to the three-under 69 he posted in the morning to finish one clear of the field on eight under.

His qualification comes just 24 hours after he landed the biggest cheque of his career when taking home €527,770 for his second-place finish to Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championships in nearby Wentworth, a result that saw him rise a massive 68 places in the world rankings to 74th.

Lowry’s previous appearance at the US Open came when he missed the cut in 2011, the year McIlroy won his first Major by eight shots at Congressional in Maryland.

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Despite a hectic schedule, Lowry will travel to Sweden to compete in the Nordea Masters before taking time to adjust his summer schedule thanks to his recent performances.

Speaking after completing 36 holes at Walton Heath, Lowry admitted he was looking forward to teeing it up at the famous Pinehurst No 2 course on June 12th.

“I’m really looking forward to it. Majors are where I want to be playing and right now it looks like I’m going to have a good run of them. Hopefully I can cement my place in the British Open soon enough and that will mean three Majors in the next couple of months,” he said.

"The field that was at Wentworth was not as good as a Major but it's nearly there. I felt very comfortable competing down the stretch against Rory McIlroy, Thomas Bjorn and Luke Donald, it felt like I was meant to be there."

One player who won’t be there is Pádraig Harrington, who will miss his first US Open since 1999 after finishing on two over after rounds of 75 and 71.

The three-time Major winner is now looking forward to a rest of a hectic schedule of late.

“Definitely today it wasn’t good and I’m putting that down to a bit of fatigue. It’s been a long couple of weeks. I’m really positive about things so we’ll try and stay confident, that’s probably the most important thing it to try and stay upbeat and let it happen.”

Qualifiers: 136 Shane Lowry (Irl); 137 Niclas Fasth (Swe), Simon Griffiths (Wal), Garth Mulroy (Rsa); 139 Max Kieffer (Ger), Shiv Kapur (Ind), Graeme Storm (Eng), Chris Doak (Sco), Brooks Koepka (USA); 140 (four players qualified after play-off): Andrea Pavan (Ita), Ollie Fisher (Eng), Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Tom Lewis (Eng). Non qualifiers after play-off: Morten Orum Madsen (Den), Danny Willett (Eng).