Macpherson Qualifies For Open Again

Bryden Macpherson will play in the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Bryden Macpherson came in fourth in the Emirates Australian Open on Sunday to qualify for the 2014 Open Championship.

Macpherson, who played for the Bulldogs from 2010-2012, fired rounds of 71-70-69-69 to wind up at 9-under 279. The top two spots went to Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott, while John Senden was third and Macpherson tied with Rhein Gibson for fourth.

The Open has gone to a new qualifying system for 2014 called the Open Qualifying Series in which 14 events around the world will serve as qualifying possibilities for players not already exempt into the Open.

Senden, Gibson and Macpherson were the top three players in the top-10 at the Australian Open not already in the field for the Open Championship, to be be played July 17-20 at Royal Liverpool in England.

There will be other qualifying tournaments, including two in Asia and one in South Africa as well as three tournaments in Europe and three in the United States. The AT&T National, the Greenbrier Classic and John Deere Classic will serve as PGA Tour events in which players can qualify.

Macpherson played in the Open in 2011 after becoming the second Australian to win the Amateur Championship. 

“Today’s a great day," Macpherson said Sunday. "I played well today and all week really. The Open was amazing the first time I played in at Royal St George’s. I played quite well and I think links golf sets up for me very well. For me The Open is golf, it’s where it all began in Scotland. It is golf at its purest and you can’t beat that.”

• Georgia is No. 1 in the Rivals Cup standings, which ranks NCAA programs that are having the greatest impact in professional sports. The Bulldogs boast two winners already this season in Harris English and Chris Kirk, each of whom has more than $1 million in earnings. The Bulldogs also have points from Brian Harman, Brendon Todd, Bubba Watson, Kevin Kisner, Erik Compton, Hudson Swafford and Russell Henley.