US Open news: 5 more South Africans play their way into Torrey Pines field

Erik van Rooyen’s barnstorming 12-under-par 36-hole total led the way for five more South Africans to be added to the US Open field on Tuesday as the third major championship of the year gets underway at Torrey Pines next week.

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Playing in what is known in the United States as ‘Golf’s Longest Day’, Van Rooyen carded rounds of 68 and 64 at the Brookside Golf and Country Club and the Lakes Golf and Country Club in Clumbus, Ohio to share the honours at the top of the leaderboard with American Chez Reavie.

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Also qualifying at the same venue were Dylan Frittelli who posted rounds of 65 and 71 at the two courses, and Charl Schwartzel whose 70 and 67 got him through amongst the 16 players who qualified from that event.

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The other South Africans to make it into the US Open through the qualifiers were Thomas Aiken and Branden Grace. With six players going through from the event at Jupiter, Florida, Aiken and Grace got through with 36-hole totals of two-under-par at the Bear’s Club.

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Those five players will join Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Garrick Higgo, Wilco Nienaber and Louis Oosthuizen in the field, bringing the number of South Africans at Torrey Pines from June 17 to nine.