Southport golfers book return ticket to US Open

Photo: Matthew Baldwin

Southport golfers book return ticket to US Open

Southport golfers Matthew Baldwin and Lee Slattery are heading back to one of the biggest events on the international golfing calendar.

The pair came through qualifying at Walton Heath to secure places at this year’s US Open – one of the sport’s four Major competitions.

For both players it represents a return to America after they both played in the 2012 US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Thirteen places were up for grabs at the qualifier at Walton Heath with Slattery posting two rounds of 69 to finish in third spot with Matthew Baldwin going round in 70, 70 for a share of fourth.

Matthew Baldwin who plays out of Royal Birkdale player has made the cut just once in 16 European tour events will now be hoping the qualifying could mark a turning point in his year and a return to the form that earned him a top 60 finish in the European Tour rankings in 2014.

He enjoyed a spectacular rookie year on tour in 2012, making the cut at both the Open championship and the US Open, where he finished 59th.

Matthew said: “It was a great week when I played in 2012 and I always said that I would never not try to qualify for the US Open again because it was such a fabulous occasion. The buzz out there, it’s just madness, and it’s great to play on a stage like that.”

Twitter pic Southport golfer Lee Slattery with his invitation for the 2016 US Open

Southport lad Lee who started playing at Southport Municipal golf course quoted: “The tricky, windy conditions at Walton Heath worked in his favour.

“I’m absolutely delighted with that. It was my sort of perfect day out there today, it was windy and I’ve grown up in the wind on links golf courses, so it was all about controlling your ball flight and your ball out there and I managed to do it great.”

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