Ross Fisher will be teeing it up in his first major championship since the PGA Championship in 2019 after winning a place in next month’s US Open after coming through a 36-hole international qualifying tournament held at Walton Heath Golf Club on May 16.
The Berkshire-born 42-year-old, who is currently 356th in the world rankings, has played in the US Open five times in his 17-year professional career, the most recent of which was in 2018, when he finished 48th. His highest finish was in 2009, when he finished fifth behind winner Lucas Glover at Bethpage. That year he played in all four majors and had the lowest cumulative score of those who made the cut.
Fisher held a share of the first round lead after shooting a seven-under 65 on the New Course which featured seven birdies and an eagle. He followed that up with a two-under 70 on the Old Course which proved good enough to secure his berth at the third Major of the year.
“Majors are the pinnacle for any professional golfer, so I’m delighted to be back playing in one again,” said Fisher, who last win on tour was at the European Open in 2016. “I was very fortunate to experience a lot of Majors in my early career and I have missed playing in them. I feel like my game is still there – I just need to put everything together.”
Fisher was one of seven players to earn the spot in the US Open, which is being held at Los Angeles Country Club in California from June 15-18. The 36-hole qualifying event was taking place at Walton Heath for the first time since 2019, with a field of 84 players competing.
South Africa’s Deon Germishuys topped the qualifiers with a 10-under-par total after rounds of 66 and 68. He will be joined in LA by fellow countryman Wilco Nienaber, four-time DP World Tour winner David Horsey, Sweden’s Jens Dantorp, Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.
Horsey, who had to play on his own after a competitor dropped out, said: “I thought it was going to be a bit of a challenge playing as a single, but I paced myself well and played really nicely in the afternoon, birdieing the first three and here we are. You have just got to stay patient. Despite it only being 36 holes, it does feel like a bit of a marathon.”
