Four Qualify for British Open

James Kingston of South Africa fired a 3-under-par 69 135 total to take top honors at the Open Championship International Final Qualifying tournament near Cape Town, South Africa.

Kingston’s three-shot victory earns him a spot in the 133rd Open Championship to be played this July at Royal Troon in Scotland. The top-4 finishers in the 60-man field recieved entries into the Open.

Finishing behind Kingston in a tie for second place were fellow South African’s Tjaart van der Walt (71) and overnight co-leader Louis Oosthuizen (72).

The fourth and final qualifying spot needed a playoff to decide the outcome as American Bruce Vaughan and South Africa’s Grant Muller ended in a tie for fourth place at 4 under.

On the first playoff hole, Muller knocked in a four-footer for birdie to oust the American and clinch a spot in the Open Championship. Vaughan will be in the field as the first alternate if for any reason one of the top four finishers qualifies through the World Golf Rankings or pulls out due to injury.

Shaun Norris is the second alternate after a second day 69 left him one shot out of the playoff.