Sam Horsfield will take substantial lead into the sixth and final week of the UK Swing after earning his place as one of 10 players to qualify for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
Horsfield tops the current UK Swing mini Order of Merit standings following victories at both the Hero Open and Celtic Classic, and holds a lead of 265.68 points over Thomas Detry.
The mini Order of Merit will conclude at this week’s ISPS Handa UK Championship, and just four players – Detry, Andy Sullivan, Rasmus Højgaard and Renato Paratore - have the ability to overtake Horsfield.
As part of the Golf for Good initiative - which underpins all events for the remainder of the 2020 season – the top ten will share an additional £250,000 to donate to charities of their choice, with the winner being given the largest share (£60,000) to donate.
This follows on from fifth and penultimate event of the UK Swing, which marked the conclusion of the U.S Open qualification.
This was due to the cancellation of traditional U.S. Open sectional qualifying events because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in its place the USGA confirmed that ten places would be available to the highest placed finishers after five events of the UK Swing.
Horsfield, Detry, Sullivan, Højgaard and Paratore had already confirmed their places in the field at Winged Foot Golf Club after four events, which left an intense battle for the remaining places during a second consecutive week at Celtic Manor Resort.
Romain Langasque, who came from five shots back to become the seventh first time winner on the European Tour this season at the ISPS Handa Wales Open, said he was proud to be making his way to his first U.S. Open after finishing sixth in the standings.
He said: "Playing my first U.S. Open this year, the good thing is with no public there’s less pressure on it being my first one. I’m really proud of myself."
He was followed in seventh place by runner up Sami Välimäki, who also earned his first Tour this year with a play-off victory in Oman, and has earned a spot in the first Major championship of his career.
“It is a big bonus for sure to make it into the U.S. Open. It’s awesome, I’ve been waiting such a long time to get into Majors and now is the time. I’m going to go there and try win the tournament, like I do at every tournament.”
Adrian Otaegui had all been all but confirmed prior to the fifth event, and qualified in eighth place, with Scotland’s Connor Syme and South Africa’s Justin Harding gaining the final two spots.
