US Open: English teenager Sam Horsfield qualifies for this week’s Oakmont major
Highly-rated Horsefield, 19, became the youngest British golfer ever to play in one of the American majors last year
ENGLISH teenager Sam Horsfield has shown lightning does strike twice, by earning a spot alongside the world’s top golfers at this week’s US Open for the second year in a row.
And on both occasions Horsfield has come through nerve-jangling sudden death play-offs at final qualifying, against seasoned professionals.
Horsfield, 19, was tipped as star of the future by Ian Poulter after they played together for the first time in Florida five year ago – and he is proving a shrewd judge.
Horfield’s family moved there from Manchester, and he has just completed his first year at the University of Florida, winning three big tournaments to pick up the Phil Mickelson Award for the top freshman on the US college circuit.
And he can expect personal congratulations from Mickelson at Oakmont, where the five time major champion will again bid to complete the career Grand Slam, after an agonising six runner-up finishes in the US Open.
But as one of the top amateurs in the world, rubbing shoulders with the game’s elite is a prospect that Horsfield does not find too daunting.
He explained: “Making it to Chambers Bay for last year’s US Open was a bit of a culture shock. But with that experience under my belt, I’m a lot more calm and composed about what’s in store this week.
“I’m good friends with Ian’s caddie, Terry Mundy, as well as Ian himself, and we had a long talk about what to expect, because they were there together the last time the US Open went to Oakmont, in 2007.
“I played a couple of practice rounds with Ian last year, and it’s such a shame he’s missing this time with a foot injury, because he’s been very supportive.