Daniel Chopra, who grew up learning his golf at the Delhi Golf Club, qualified for the British Open coming through the International Final Qualifiers at the Canoe Brook Country Club at the Summit, New Jersey.
Chopra, who plays on the USPGA Tour, shot rounds of 68 and 69 to grab one of the 14 spots available at the qualifier.
Another Indian, Arjun Atwal, however, failed in his mission, after a first round 75.
This will be 32-year-old Chopra’s first appearance at the British Open. Chopra, a former Asian Tour regular, played at the 2004 US Open and, in his very first appearance at a Major, made the cut and finished tied 24th.
Bolstering the Asian Tour’s challenge in the British Open, were Simon Dyson, who came through the qualifiers in Europe, and Thailand’s Thammanoon Srirot who grabbed a spot by finishing tied fourth at the Mizuno Open.
The top-four finishers at the Mizuno Open, who are otherwise not qualified for British Open, were given tickets to the year’s third Major.
Thammanoon shot a superb final round display of six-under-par 66 to seal his berth.
{{/usCountry}}Thammanoon shot a superb final round display of six-under-par 66 to seal his berth.
{{/usCountry}}The Thai, who featured in the winning Asian team at the Visa Dynasty Cup against Japan in April, carded rounds of 72, 70, 71 and 66 for a nine-under-par total, just one stroke behind Chris Campbell who won in a three-way play-off.
Thammanoon will join compatriot Thongchai Jaidee at St Andrews. Thongchai earned his place by virtue of his win at last season’s Asian Tour Order of Merit while Asian Tour members Mardan Mamat of Singapore, Malaysian Danny Chia, fifth at last week’s Brunei Open, and Australian Richard Moir earned their places to the Open with top three finishes at the International Final Qualifying in Malaysia in early April.
Korea’s Yang Yong-eun, who cut his professional teeth in Asia before moving on to Japan, finished tied sixth for his third top-10 of the year in Japan.
Yang and his Korean compatriot Hur Suk-ho also qualified for the British Open through the Japan money ranking.
Tom Pernice Jr And Geoff Ogilvy, who had earned the medallist honours in US Open qualifiers, led the field again in sharing medallist honours in the international qualifying final for the British Open on Monday.
The two had 10-under 134 totals on the North and South courses at the Canoe Brook Country Club in leading the 14 qualifiers who earned berths for the Open at St. Andrews on July 14-17.
Tom Byrum was alone at 8-under 136, while Bo Van Pelt, Daniel Chopra and Australians Scott Hend and Robert Allenby also earned berths with 137 total.
Wilhelm Schauman, a Swede who carried his own bag, and Richard Barcelo got the final two berths by recording birdies on the first hole of a seven-man playoff that included former US Open champion Corey Pavin.