Golf: NZers qualify for majors

Excellent results for kiwi golfers Tim Wilkinson and David Smail this morning have seen them qualify for two of the sport's major tournaments.

Wilkinson will contest the British Open in July after qualifying in Texas today.

He finished in a six-way tie for third in an American qualifying event at the Greenacres Country Club in Plano, placing him among the top eight who advance to the Open Championship at Turnberry, Scotland from July 16-19.

It means at least four New Zealanders will contest the major tournament, with Michael Campbell, Mark Brown and Josh Geary having already qualified.

Geary also advanced through a qualifying event, the Australasian tournament at Melbourne in February.

Wilkinson shot rounds of 65 and 67 for a 10-under 132 today, leaving him three shots behind winner Matt Kuchar of the United States.

The left-hander from Palmerston North shot seven birdies in his first round and five in his second while lapsing with just one bogey in each round.

American Jeff Overton was second on 131 while Wilkinson was tied with Swedes Richard Johnson and Fredrik Jacobson, Scot Martin Laird and Americans Davis Love III, James Driscoll and Ryan Moore.

New Zealand teenager Danny Lee failed to qualify, finishing a credible 21st in the 78-strong field after rounds of 66 and 69 left him seven-under.

It will be the first major for Wilkinson, 30, who is enjoying a solid second year on the US PGA Tour, currently ranked 119th on the money list with earnings of US$300,000 ($493,664).

Earlier, New Zealand's highest-ranked golfer David Smail produced two exceptional rounds in Japan overnight (NZT) to qualify for next month's US Open.

World No 85 Smail rocketed clear of the field at a 36-hole sectional qualifier at the Ryugasaki Golf Club to qualify for the major tournament at Bethpage in New York starting on June 15.

He topped a 144-strong field at the qualifying event with a two round total of 11-under 133. The top five finishers all qualified.

The 39-year-old was five shots clear of second-placed Angelo Que of the Philippines.

A 17-year professional and veteran on the Japanese Tour, Smail will make just his third appearance at a major. He missed the cut in both the British Open and US Open in 2003.

The only other New Zealand golfer in the Bethpage field at this stage is Michael Campbell, who is exempt from qualifying after winning the tournament in 2005.

- NZPA