Forsyth, Fisher lead U.S. Open qualifying in Europe

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TADWORTH, England (AP) -- Alastair Forsyth of Scotland and Ross Fisher of England led European final qualifying for next week's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with totals of 7-under 137 for 36 holes at Walton Heath on Monday.

Forsyth had rounds of 69 and 68 over the Old and New Courses, while Fisher shot 67 and 70.

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Scotland's Alastair Forsyth has already won on the European Tour this season.

Forty-two players competed for seven places and three others shot 138 -- Englishmen Robert Dinwiddie, Philip Archer and Ross McGowan.

Dinwiddie birdied six of the last eight holes for a second-round 67 to get in. The former Walker Cup player was tied fourth in the Wales Open on Sunday after recently setting a course record of 63 at the BMW PGA at Wentworth.

Johan Edfors of Sweden and Thomas Levet came through a four-man playoff for the other two places with pars on the first extra hole. Daniel Vancsik of Argentina and veteran amateur Gary Wolstenholme were eliminated after bogeys on that hole.

Forsyth, who won the Madeira Islands Open this year, played in the U.S. PGA in 2003 but missed the cut.

Dinwiddie was astonished at qualifying.

"An hour and a half ago, I would never have believed it," Dinwiddie said. His best putt in the late birdie run was from 25 feet at the 15th, and he holed an eight-footer at the last to secure his place.

Levet, the Frenchman who has recovered from a long bout of vertigo, was let down by his putting.

"I had 33 putts this morning and 36 this afternoon. I made one from 15 feet this afternoon and the next longest one was a foot," Levet said.

He had a three-footer on the 36th hole that would have got him in without the playoff.

"It didn't touch the hole," he said.

But in the playoff, he two-putted, holing his second from three feet.