By Rahul Banerji
Having missed out on the PGA Championship last week, Sergio Garcia made sure he would be at the US Open with a strong performance at final Monday qualifying in Dallas.
The 2017 Masters champion carded a pair of 66s to finish fourth in a field of 120 battling for sight spots at the next major of the season at Northwood Club and Bent Tree Country Club in Texas.
It will mark the 43-year-old Spaniard’s 24th straight appearance at the US Open. Last week’s PGA Championship in Rochester is the first major Garcia has not played in since the 1999 Open.
Garcia (66-66) rounded off his run with birdie on the last hole to join 11 other LIV Golf League members in the US Open field which will be played at the Los Angeles Country Club from 15 to 18 June.
Those already qualified are PGA champion Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer, Thomas Pieters, Mito Pereira and Patrick Reed.
Graeme McDowell and Branden Grace who were among the 120 entered in Dallas however, failed to make the grade.
Scary stuff
“I played well, and I knew what I needed,” Garcia said later. “I didn’t want to be in a playoff. I’ve done that before. It’s pretty scary.”
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods who is continuing to recover from April’s ankle fusion surgery will not be at the US Open this year.
The 15-time major winner and three-time US Open champion withdrew from the Masters at Augusta National that month and did not play last week’s PGA Championship.
At Augusta, Tiger pulled out after making the cut on the line but was unable to continue. He has announced a limited schedule for the year and has played just five events since his accident in February of 2021.
“Tiger Woods, who won this championship in 2000, 2002 and 2008, has withdrawn as an exempt player while still recovering from his recent surgery,” event organisers the USGA said.
This was the final year of Woods’ US Open exemption for winning the Masters in 2019.
The USGA also said earlier this week that 41 players had qualified for the US Open so far, based on the various points lists including the eight who came through Monday qualifying.
The top 60 in the OWGR after the PGA Championship have earned exemptions into the season’s third major including Reed, recent PGA Tour winner Jason Day, and England’s Tyrrell Hatton.
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