Two S. Korean golfers qualify for U.S. Open

SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- Two young South Korean golfers qualified for the U.S. Open, the season's second major championship, through sectional qualifying.
Noh Seung-yul earned one of two spots at a sectional event in Springfield, Ohio, finishing first after the 36-hole qualification. Kang Sung-hoon finished first in his 36-hole qualification in Memphis, Tennessee.
They will join three other South Koreans at the U.S. Open, which will be held at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Choi Kyoung-ju, the winner of The Players Championship this year; Yang Yong-eun, the only Asian major champion with the 2009 PGA Championship title; and Kim Kyung-tae, last year's money winner on the Japanese men's tour, will be the others.
Noh, 20, is the reigning money champion of the Asian Tour, and is the youngest golfer to lead the money list on that circuit. Kang, 24, earned his PGA Tour card for the first time this season. He was a member of South Korea's gold medal-winning golf team at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
Noh tied for 41st place at last year's U.S. Open. This will be Kang's first appearance at the major.
jeeho@yna.co.kr