Plano, Texas – Josh Teater went 7-under par over 36 holes to top the British Open qualifier at a windy Gleneagles Country Club on Monday.
Teater, who has never played in a major championship, topped the field of 78 players to earn a spot in the British Open at Muirfield.
"I am really looking forward to playing in my first Open Championship. You always want to get off to a quick start in these qualifiers, but I went out and bogeyed my first hole of the day. I think that may have been good for me because I was able to refocus," said Teater.
The American fired a 64 in the morning to lead by one. He posted a 1-under 69 in the afternoon to finish one clear of Johnson Wagner and Camilo Villegas.
Those two players also qualified for the 142nd British Open, as did Scott Brown and Brian Davis, both at 5-under 135, and Bud Cauley, Luke Guthrie and Robert Karlsson, who all finished at minus-4.
Those three advanced via a playoff in which they each made par on the par-3 17th. Colombian Andres Echvarria bogeyed that hole, which cost him a spot in the field at Muirfield. Cauley and Guthrie, like Teater, will make their first start at the Open Championship.
Winds gusted upwards of 35 mph all day.
Among those that failed to qualify was Davis Love III, who had played all 26 British Opens dating back to 1987. Rory Sabbatini, Erik Compton, Trevor Immelman, Ryo Ishikawa, Stuart Appleby, Patrick Cantlay, Gary Woodland and Aaron Baddeley were also among those that failed to qualify.
Nick O'Hern, Charley Hoffman, Kyle Stanley, Robert Allenby and Casey Wittenberg were among 25 players that withdrew during the qualifier.
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