US Open joy for Fernandez-Castano

Of all the European Tour stars at Walton Heath today for the 36-hole US Open qualifier, Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano was undoubtedly the happiest – he did not have to play.

The British Masters champion was able to eat his breakfast and then leave without hitting a ball after it was confirmed he had climbed into the world’s top 50 and was therefore exempt for the second major of the year.