Patrick Cantlay gains British Open exemption as McCormack winner
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Nov. 30, 2011) -- UCLA sophomore Patrick Cantlay is going to the Open Championship under a new qualifying category for golf’s oldest championship.
The R&A said Wednesday that the winner of the McCormack Medal as the No. 1 player in the world amateur golf ranking at the end of the amateur season earns an automatic spot in the Open Championship. That change is effective for 2012, when the Open will be played at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Cantlay, the low amateur at the U.S. Open and runner-up at the U.S. Amateur, won the McCormack Medal this year as the top-ranked amateur. He already has earned exemptions to the Masters and the U.S. Open in 2012 for reaching the championship match at the U.S. Amateur.
ABOUT THE
Mark H. McCormack Award
Established in 2007, the Mark H McCormack Medal is named after the late founder of sports marketing company IMG and is awarded to the player ranked number one in the WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING® following The Amateur, the U.S. Amateur or the European Amateur, whichever event is held later in the year.
Since 2011, the same award is given to the player leading the women's ranking after The Women's Amateur, the U.S. Women's Amateur or the European Ladies' Amateur, whichever event is held later in the year.
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