By:
Conor Martin
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington will miss out on US Open qualification despite an impressive round of 66 in the final round of qualifying in Columbus, Ohio.
There were six qualification spots available at the Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club qualifier in Ohio. The Dubliner didn’t have the greatest of starts to the event and was struggling after his first round.
Harrington registered a score of 73 and finished two over par. But things would improve for him in his second round.
Padraig Harrington narrowly misses out on US Open spot
Form would come Harrington’s way as he picked up the pace. After a sluggish start, he motored along the outward nine of his second round, rattling in consecutive birdies on the third and fourth and then three on the trot on the seventh, eighth and ninth.
He would then work his way into a play-off spot with yet another birdie on the 11th, which left him tied for sixth place.
However, unfortunately, that’s as good as it got for Harrington. He wouldn’t birdie again, and a dropped shot on the 17th would prove costly and ultimately end his chances of featuring at the US Open.
The US Open starts on the 12th of June, and Harrington would have loved to end his absence from the competition.
Missing out caps a recent run of bad luck. Harrington also missed out on winning the Senior PGA Championship.
The Irishman hasn’t featured at the US Open since 2023. Where he placed tied-27th after qualifying through his US Senior Open victory the year before.
His best-ever finish at the US Open came way back in 2012. Harrington managed to finish tied for fourth at the competition held at the Olympic Club.
Unlike Harrington, South African Eric van Rooyen and Australian Marc Leishman had no issue with booking their place at Oakmont next week from the final 36-hole qualifiers on Monday.
Van Rooyen fired rounds of 64 and 67 to finish first on 13 under and a score of 131. Americans Bud Cauley, Justin Lower and Lanto Griffin sharing second on 137 and countryman Harrison Ott on 138.
Big names miss out
There was then a five-man play-off for the final spot which was contested by some of the best golfers in the world. It featured US PGA Tour players Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole and Cameron Young. As well as fellow American Chase Johnson.
However, the final spot at the qualifying event would go to Young, who won the first play-off hole by nailing a birdie.
The fact Homa and Fowler won’t be there at Oakmont will raise some eyebrows. Especially as they’re still hunting a spot in America’s Ryder Cup team later this year.
2010 US Open champion Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is currently battling to qualify. He sits at four under par after 10 holes, lying tied for 15th at the Emerald Dunes qualifier in Florida.
The top four at Emerald Dunes will earn a spot at Oakmont. But McDowell has some work to do. He is currently three strokes adrift.
Players in Florida will again tee off on Tuesday after bad weather suspended the event.
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