Paul Buckley and Ruaidhri McGee progress in US Open Local Qualifying

The second hole on the South Course at Torrey Pines. USGA/Kirk H. Owens

Two Irish players have so far come through Local Qualifying for next month’s US Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

While 8,680 hopefuls are competing in 108 Local Qualifying events until May 17 for 500 spots in 12 Final Qualifying events scheduled from May 24 to June 7, Cork amateur Paul Buckley and Derry’s Ruaidhri McGee are already through.

While professional Cian Curley is an alternate after finishing a shot outside the qualifying places at Patterson Club on May 3, Cork Golf Club’s Buckely shot a three-under 68 to tie for sixth in the race for eight spots at Escondido Golf & Lake Club in Horseshoe Bay, Texas on May 3.

McGee shot a five-under 67 to top the qualifiers at Hobe Sound Country Club in Florida on May 6.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are exempt from qualifying but there’s still a chance for the likes of Seamus Power, Pádarig Harrington or Graeme McDowell, as well as Buckley and McGee, to come through Final Qualifying.

There are also spots for the top 10 European Tour players (not already exempt) from the three-event US Open 2021 European Qualifying Series comprising this week’s Betfred British Masters, the Made In Himmerland Championship and the Porsche European Open.

Five Irishmen will be in action at The Belfry this week - Colm Moriarty, Paul Dunne, Cormac Sharvin, Jonathan Caldwell and Niall Kearney, who finally got into the event on his category rather than through his top-10 finish in the Canary Islands Open in Tenerife on Sunday.

Kearney does not figure in the current entry list due to a technical glitch.

There’s a top field for this week’s AT&T Bryson Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas with Bryson DeChambeau, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson joined by Pádraig Harrington and Seamus Power.

Meanwhile, Mallow’s James Sugrue will make his professional debut in the Challenge Tour’s Range Servant Challenge by Hinton Golf.

The 2019 Amateur champion is joined at Hinton Golf Club in Malmö by Paul McBride, Gavin Moynihan and Robin Dawson.