Kenyon and Brooky claim US Open berths

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2006 US Women's Open | General | 08 Jun 2006

In the first round of Sectional Qualifying for the 2006 US Women’s Open Championship, two Australasians have made it through and will now tee it up at the Newport Country Club in on Rhode Island on June 29th.

Queenslander, Sarah Jane Kenyon, recorded a 36 hole total of 149 and gained one of the 17 places that were up for grabs at the Knollwood Country Club in West Michigan. She will be joined in the field by New Zealander, Lynette Brooky, a recent winner on the Ladies European Tour who shared Medallist honours at the same venue.

Brooky played in the US Open in 2002 and 2003. In 2002 she finished 12th at Prairie Dunes behind Juli Inkster in one of the more impressive performances of the tournament that year. She had been forced to qualify that year also but produced one of the best weeks statistically when she recorded more birdies than any other player in the field except one, namely Annika Sorenstam.

For Kenyon, who currently plays the Duramed Futures Tour, this will be her first exposure to Major golf.

The two will join Karrie Webb and Rachel Hetherington as the only four Australasians currently in the field although there are several more Sectional Qualifying venues at which more places will be decided.