skip to main content

Seamus Power qualifies for US Open after late birdie at Columbus qualifier

Seamus Power will be in the field at Pinehurst No 2
Seamus Power will be in the field at Pinehurst No 2

There will be four Irish players in the field at the US Open in Pinehurst No 2 next week as Seamus Power booked his place after finishing tied-first at the Columbus qualifier in Ohio State.

With five spots up for grabs at the 36-hole qualifier, Power shot 64-68 to finish joint top alongside Justin Lower on ten-under par.

The Waterford man birdied the final hole to avoid a play-off for the final three spots and book his spot in the field in North Carolina.

In the ensuing play-off, Brendan Todd, Chris Naegal and the amateur Gunnar Broin took the remaining three spots after finishing nine-under over 36 holes.

It will be Power's third successive appearance at a US Open, having finished tied-12th in Brookline in 2022.

The two-time PGA Tour winner is currently ranked 118th in the world and has not featured at either of the two major championships so far this year.

He will be the fourth Irish entrant at Pinehurst, with Tom McKibbin qualifying through the Walton Abbey tournament last month. The two qualifiers will join Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry in teeing off at the legendary Donald Ross designed course in North Carolina, which held the US Open previously in 1999, 2005 and 2014.

2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell will not be joining them after missing the cut at the qualifier at Springhead Country Club in Ohio, while European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald also failed to make the cut.

Adam Scott's streak of playing in 91 consecutive majors is on course to end after he lost a qualifying play-off to fellow Australian Cam Davis.

It took the pair three extra holes at Springhead before Davis secured the last of the four spots on offer, having bogeyed the last of the day’s 36 regulation holes to open the door for Scott.

Scott remains the first alternate for the year’s third major, while he will qualify if his world ranking remains at 60 after this weekend’s Memorial Tournament which he is not playing in.

Matt Kuchar and 2012 champion Webb Simpson were among the qualifiers from the 10 courses, but major champions Zach Johnson, Jason Dufner and Charles Schwartzel missed out.

With additional reporting: PA

Read Next