Australian trio qualify for British Open

Melbourne: Australia`s Aaron Townsend, Ashley Hall and Nicholas Cullen qualified for the British Open on Wednesday by securing the three places up for grabs at Australasian qualifying on a blustery day at Melbourne`s Kingston Heath golf course.

Townsend`s round of two-under 70 gave him a four-under total of 140 to finish top of qualifying after two rounds following severe winds that forced play to be suspended for two hours. Hall and Cullen were joined in a three-way playoff with local veteran Peter Senior, 52, to decide the two remaining spots after each finished on a total of one-over par. Senior, bidding for his 19th appearance at the British major at Royal Lytham & St Annes, made par at the first extra playoff hole but missed out when both Hall and Cullen made birdies. The British Open starts July 19. Bureau Report