Johannesburg - South African Jaco van Zyl is delighted to be playing in his first Major tournament earlier than expected.
Van Zyl had already qualified for the year's final Major - the PGA Championship in August - and he said he was pleased that he would be turning out in his first 'big-four' event in Pennsylvania next month.
The 13-time Sunshine Tour winner made it through sectional qualifying for the US Open in Surrey, England, on Monday.
With just 12 qualifying spots up for grabs in the 36-hole event, Van Zyl finished in a tie for second with Englishman Paul Casey on six-under 138 for the two rounds.
“It’s great to be playing in my first Major,” Van Zyl told pga.com.
“I qualified earlier in the year for the USPGA [Championship], but to get in this is fantastic.
“I'm just going to go and enjoy it and not have any expectations.”
Van Zyl added his name to a list of 10 other South Africans set to tee it up in the year's second Major.
Other South Africans who have qualified for the US Open are Thomas Aiken, Tim Clark, George Coetzee, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Branden Grace, Darren Lloyd, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Richard Sterne.