McDowell earns British Open place

Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who came through a qualifying tournament for the US Open earlier this month, sank a 12-foot birdie putt to make into the British Open today.

McDowell was part of a seven-man play-off for the last four of 18 places up for grabs in the European qualifier at Sunningdale.

A 90-minute rain delay meant there was no time for the play-off last night, so the players involved returned for a 7am start this morning.

South African Darren Fichardt double-bogeyed the first hole and Italian Alessandro Tadini bogeyed it to drop out, then McDowell and South Africa’s Richard Sterne both made birdies at the third extra hole.

That left English trio Simon Dyson, Robert Rock and James Hepworth going on for the final two spots, Yorkshireman Hepworth having stayed alive with a 30-foot par putt on the first.

Another 36-hole qualifier involving Lee Westwood, Greg Owen, Justin Rose and Brian Davis was due to have taken place in America yesterday, but was postponed 24 hours and reduced to one round because of weather delays at the US Tour’s Booz Allen Classic.