Eleven exempt for U.S. Open after Walton Heath qualifier

Eleven golfers, including Alexander Noren and George Coetzee, earned their place at the 2012 U.S. Open after a 36-hole qualifier at Walton Heath Golf Club on Monday

Alexander Noren

Swede Alexander Noren and South African George Coetzee were among eleven golfers earning their U.S. Open place at Monday's 36-hole qualifier at Walton Heath Golf Club.

The tournament, which took place the day after the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, was won by Noren and Scotsman Mark Warren, who both played 36 holes in nine-under-par.

Noren, Warren and Coetzee will be joined in the U.S. Open - taking place from June 13-17 at San Francisco's Olympic Club - by Irishman Peter Lawrie, Italian Matteo Manassero, Britons Lee Slattery and Matthew Baldwin, French duo Gregory Bourdy and Raphael Jacquelin, Finn Mikko Ilonen and Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Noren, a three-time European Tour winner, will be making his second U.S. Open appearance, having qualified at Walton Heath 12 months ago.

"I am very happy. I was tired this morning after Wentworth last week but now I feel a whole lot better," said Noren.

Two time European Tour winner Warren will be competing in his first ever major.

"I burned the edge of the hole quite a few times so I could have gone even lower, but I'll certainly take it!" he said.

Unfortunately, Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup captain Jose-Maria Olazabal will not be taking part in the second major of the year.

Montgomerie failed in his bid after making a 900-mile overnight trip to Scotland and back to fetch a putter.

Nick Bonfield
Content Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, commissioning and feature writing. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x