McGinley and Lowry Miss Open Chance

Paul McGinley

Paul McGinley and Shane Lowry failed to make the make the field for the next month's Open Golf Championship following the final international qualifying event at Sunningdale on Monday.

10 places were up for grabs in the 36-hole qualifier, but McGinley with a combined total of 137 and Lowry on 141, were both well outside the score of 127 set by England's Graeme Storm.

The duo could still make Royal St George's with a top-five finish at either the French or Scottish Opens, while two spots are available through a mini-money list on the European Tour which continues at this week's Italian Open.

Colin Montgomerie saw his hopes of competing at a 22nd straight Open end when he finished last in the 36-hole qualifying event.

Wales Open winner Alex Noren and 2002 Open runner-up Thomas Levet booked their spots along with Gary Boyd, Peter Whiteford, Alejandro Canizares, Kenneth Ferrie, Gregory Bourdy, Richard McEvoy and George Coetzee.

In the United States Sergio Garcia, who only last month said he would not try to qualify, squeezed into the US Open by surviving a seven-man playoff for four spots in one of Monday's 11, nationwide, 36-hole qualifiers.

Vijay Singh's did not bother showing up for the 36-hole qualifier in Columbus, just one day after closing with a 65 at the Memorial. 

He has not missed a major since the 1994 US Open, a stretch of 67 majors in a row which had been the longest current streak in golf.

McGinley Gets Call for Lawrie

Paul McGinley

Paul McGinley will join Colin Montgomerie in the Open Championship qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday.

The former Ryder Cup player McGinley, 44, vice-captain alongside Montgomerie last year at Celtic Manor, has seen his world ranking slip to 573 and was not in the original 96-strong list who will battle for the 10 places at the Royal St George's course in Sandwich during July.

However, the Irishman has received a late call-up into the qualifier at his home course thanks to a fellow Dubliner, Peter Lawrie.

McGinley's world ranking of 551st at the close of entries had failed to earn him a place in a 96-strong field chasing 10 spots. But he came in as a reserve when Lawrie decided not to play after his wife Philippa gave birth to their fourth child – and first son – on Friday night.

The former world No1 Vijay Singh had already withdrawn after making the halfway cut at the Memorial tournament in Ohio.

The biggest name taking part is Montgomerie, who is desperate to make it 22 Open appearances in a row.

Liverpool's Nick Dougherty and the former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart also earned spots in the qualifier following the late withdrawals of Richard Finch and Felipe Aguilar.

Thomas Bjorn, who lost a three-shot lead in the last four holes when The Open was last at Sandwich in 2003, was among a number of late withdrawals from Monday's 36-hole qualifying competition at Sunningdale because of a back injury.

In a collapse for which he will always be remembered,  Bjorn followed a bogey with a double bogey – he was in a greenside bunker and needed three attempts to get out – and then another bogey at the 17th.

A par on the last left Ben Curtis of the US the 2003 Open winner, playing the first major of his life, as the surprise winner and Bjorn in shock

At the Saab Wales Open last Friday, Bjorn missed the cut in his first tournament since the death of his father three weeks ago. There are still a number of avenues available to the Dane to be part of the starting line-up at Royal St George's next month.

International Qualifying Europe - Scores