US Open debut for Boston golfer Nathan Kimsey
Boston golfer Nathan Kimsey has qualified for the prestigious US Open for the first time in his career.
The 33-year-old earned medalist honors at the final qualifying event at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey with six others joining him at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club from 18th-21st June.
Kimsey shot rounds of 68 and 62 to post a 10-under-par 130 over 36 holes, two clear of Spaniard Rocco Repetto Taylor, to reach just his second ever major championship.
“I’m obviously over the moon,” he said.
“You come to these qualifier events, and you have to play some good golf on one day.
“A lot of the time you end up walking away disappointed but it’s great to play great golf and grab a spot at the US Open.
“It was soft out there and you could see from the scoring that it was quite low.
“I played all right in the morning around the Old Course, which was tougher.
“I knew I was in a decent spot where I could go a bit lower in the second round, but I was happy to hole a few putts and make some birdies.
“It will be great to get out there for my first US.Open.
“I had a chance to play there a few years ago but that got rained off so it will be great to get back out to Long Island to experience that.
“I had a taste of a Major for the first time at The Open last year so it will be great to see what the US Open is and how that whole tournament comes together.”
The English site serves as the final qualifying tournament for European players and is the first of 13 final qualifying sites in all.
Kimsey made the cut and tied for 40th at the Open Championship last summer at Royal Portrush.
Players were also contending in Dallas, Japan had a qualifying site this week and the other 10 are scattered across North America on 8th June, often called ‘golf’s longest day’.