Bland bids for US Open place (From Daily Echo)

Bland bids for US Open place

1:40pm Sunday 27th May 2012 in Golf By Gordon Simpson, Senior Sports Reporter

RICHARD Bland will compete for a place in the US Open when he tees it up in the international qualifier at Walton Heath tomorrow.

The Stoneham player is one of 85 professionals bidding to earn a ticket to the second major championship of the season, which will be held at Olympic Club, in San Francisco, next month.

Anywhere from nine to 12 spots will be awarded from Walton Heath, with the likes of Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup captain José María Olazábal also trying to earn one of the coveted places.

Bland has been paired with Australian Andrew Dodt for the 36-hole event, and is due to tee off at 10am and 2.45pm. He last qualified for the US Open, via the Walton Heath route, in 2009.