The top ten aggregate points earners in the UK Swing mini Order of Merit will be granted an exemption for the U.S. Open following the conclusion of the ISPS Handa Wales Open.
The race for a spot in the U.S Open will come to a head at the conclusion of the ISPS Handa Wales Open this week, with the top ten aggregate points earners in the UK Swing mini Order of Merit set to book their place in the field at Winged Foot Golf Club from September 17-20.
With traditional U.S. Open sectional qualifying events cancelled this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the USGA confirmed that ten places would be available to the highest placed finishers after five events of the European Tour’s UK Swing.
England’s Sam Horsfield, who earned his maiden Tour victory at the Hero Open, guaranteed he will be one of the ten to qualify for the second Major of the year after claiming his second trophy in three weeks at the Celtic Classic.
The 23-year-old holds a commanding lead in the standings ahead of Belgian Thomas Detry, who finished second to Horsfield during both of his victories. Detry has since moved to 75th in the Official World Golf Rankings - a career high - and has a narrow advantage of his own over English Championship winner Andy Sullivan.
Detry, Sullivan and Rasmus Højgaard – who was the only player to record top tens in the first three events of the UK Swing – join Betfred British Masters champion Renato Paratore as the four other players to have already secured their exemptions for the U.S. Open. Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, who currently sits on 263.82 points, has not yet been confirmed but is unlikely to be overtaken.
The tussle for the final four places is more open, and with 335 points available to the winner at The Celtic Manor Resort, every player in the field this week retains a chance.
As it stands, Justin Harding, Alexander Björk, Connor Syme, Chris Paisley and Andrew Johnston make up the rest of the top ten, but with the points race tighter at that end of the standings, they could still all be overtaken by the end of this week.
Syme, who held the 54-hole lead at the Celtic Classic, currently sits in ninth position, and spoke about being motivated despite the disappointment with his third-place finish in last week’s tournament.
“My goal is to get in that top ten for the U.S. Open,” he said. “It’s given me a step towards that. It’ll hurt for a couple of days, but it’s a good week. If someone offers you third at the start of the week, no matter the circumstances, you’ll take it. I’ll build on that and hopefully have a good week next week on the same course.”
