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England’s Nick Dougherty and Australian Marcus Fraser lead the race for one of the nine qualifying spots for a place in the US Open Championship after opening rounds of 66 at Walton Heath.
Dougherty, playing his first round on the Old Course, and Fraser, whose 66 was on the New, lead the field of 52 players who teed up in the US Open Sectional Qualifier in their bid to earn a place in the field at next week’s US Open Championship at Oakmont, Pennsylvannia.
Dougherty, out in three under par 32, made four birdies in a row on the back nine but had the gloss taken off the round with a three putt on the final green for a 66.
“I birdied all four par fives which is key,” said the Englishman, who arrived in Surrey on the back of a joint eighth finish in last week’s Celtic Manor Wales Open. “I didn’t hit it how I wanted to this morning so have to go and do a bit of work on it. But I just need to go and do the same again. In the end the qualifying takes care of itself, just go out and play. You can go out and play well and nine other guys play better and you miss it or, like I did two years ago, you play average and manage to sneak in. In the end you are in it to win it.”
Fraser is another player high in confidence after in an impressive performance in the BMW PGA Championship where he finished joint 12th and he too posted a six under par 66 on the New Course.
“It’s going well at the moment,” said the Australian. “I played well and putted well. A nice solid day. I’m playing with a lot of confidence and feel like I am playing good golf.”
Four players broke 70 on the Old Course with Dougherty leading Darren Fichardt and Alastair Forysth, who both posted 68’s and Graeme McDowell, who stormed in with a birdie-eagle-birdie run from the 15th on his way to a 69. On the New Course, five players broke 70 – Fraser, Sam Walker (67), Peter Hanson (68), Christian Cevaer (69) and Soren Kjeldsen (69).
