Euros Again Pulling Mass WD Stunt For U.S. Open Qualifier

You have to give them marks for consistency, because for the third year in a row many of Europe's finest entered the U.S. Open qualifying at Walton Heath only to pull up lame (but still not costing the rest spots).

Mark Garrod reports:

More than 20 European Tour players have now pulled out of Monday's 36-hole US Open qualifier at Walton Heath.

It is the route used by New Zealander Michael Campbell when he won his first major title three years ago, but since the introduction of the event that season it has always suffered from a large number of withdrawals.

Among those who have decided to skip the chance to compete in the second major of the year are Darren Clarke, former Open champion Paul Lawrie, recent Irish Open and Spanish Open winners Richard Finch and Peter Lawrie and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, currently 10th in the Ryder Cup race.

Clarke made his decision two weeks ago, saying: "My schedule is firmly based around Europe and my goal is to make the Ryder Cup team."

He and others feel that a trip out to California if they made it through the qualifier was not going to benefit them in the coming weeks.

Just over a week ago a total of 76 players were listed for the qualifier, but that is now down to 50 and organisers could well be asking golfers in America who just failed at local qualifying level if they fancy filling the gaps in Surrey.

Four more WD's and they can tie 2006's count. And here was the mild threat issued after last year's antics. You can see it really worked.