Golf: Kiwi Brown clinches his Muirfield place

Published on 31/01/2013 00:17

New Zealander Mark Brown produced a scintillating course record 62 at Kingston Heath in Melbourne to win a place in July’s Open Championship.

The 37-year-old qualified for Muirfield along with Australians Steven Jeffress and Stephen Dartnall, who survived after amateur Cameron Smith double-bogeyed the 442-yard 16th and dropped from second to joint fourth.

Starting the day joint 27th and five shots off the pace, former European Tour winner Brown fired an eagle and eight birdies. “If there’s one major you want to play, for me this would be it,” he said.

Former Scottish Open champion Peter O’Malley missed out on a play-off by one, as did Smith and their Australian compatriots Nevan Basic, Scott Laycock and Anthony Summers.