Van Rooyen, Leishman earn spots at Oakmont in final US Open qualifiying

By AFP
June 04, 2025
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa plays his shot from the third tee during the first round of the Mexico Open. — AFP/File
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa plays his shot from the third tee during the first round of the Mexico Open. — AFP/File

Oakmont, United States: South African Erik van Rooyen and Australian Marc Leishman were among those who earned berths at Oakmont next week from US Open final 36-hole qualifiers on Monday.

Van Rooyen fired rounds of 64 and 67 to finish first on 13-under 131 at Kinsale Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio, with Americans Bud Cauley, Justin Lower and Lanto Griffin sharing second on 137 and countryman Harrison Ott on 138.

That left a five-man playoff for the final available US Open berth, a fight that included US PGA Tour players Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole and Cameron Young plus compatriot Chase Johnson.

Young won the spot with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Homa was notable as the only player carrying his own bag through the all-day affair. Van Rooyen, 35, missed the cut in his last three US Open starts over the past four years after making his best finish, a share of 23rd, in 2020.

He is a two-time PGA Tour winner, most recently at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 2023, and was a runner-up at last month´s CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament. At Woodmont in suburban Washington, Americans Ryan McCormack and Trevor Cone took the lead, claiming two US Open spots.

That left a three-way playoff for two final US Open spots between Australian Marc Leishman, Colombian Sebastian Munoz from LIV Golf and American Bryan Lee. Leishman, who won his first LIV Golf title in April at Miami, and Lee parred the first two extra holes and booked their berths at Oakmont when Munoz lipped out a par putt to make bogey on the second playoff hole.

At Lambton in York, Canada, it was American Kevin Velo setting the pace -- but six others joined him including Danes Niklas Norgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, England´s Matt Wallace, Argentina´s Emiliano Grillo, American Mark Hubbard and France´s Victor Perez.

Americans James Nicholas and Chris Gotterup led four qualifiers at Canoe Brook in Summit, New Jersey, with Mexico´s Roberto Diaz and US amateur Ben James taking the last spots. American Zach Bauchou led qualifiers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, with Mexicans Alvaro Ortiz and Emilio Gonzalez and American Alistair Docherty one stroke back to also qualify.