Andrew Johnston among the players to book a ticket to Erin Hills

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston is among the 15 players who successfully came through a 111-man US Open qualifying event at Walton Heath on Monday

The popular 28-year-old carded rounds of 68-66 in the 36-hole event, good enough to put him in a tie for ninth place.

The top qualifier was World No 166 Aaron Rai of England, who followed a 66 with a 64, and he will be joined at Erin Hills in Wisconsin (June 15-18) by Haotong Li, Alexander Levy, Richie Ramsay, Bradley Dredge, George Coetzee, Oliver Bekker, Joel Stalter, Eddie Pepperell, and Brandon Stone.

Those 10 players qualified automatically and Paul Dunne, Thomas Aiken, Matt Wallace and Wade Ormsby then came through a seven-man play-off.

Image: Wallace is already a winner on the European Tour this year

Rai will be making his major debut in Wisconsin, having won the Walton Heath event by a shot after five birdies and an eagle in his final nine holes.

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And the Wolverhampton man is in good form, having won two of his last five starts on the Challenge Tour.

"It's a dream come true to play in any major, and with it being the US Open it makes it extra special," said Rai.

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"It's hard to put it into words at the moment because it hasn't really sunk in.

Image: Erin Hills hosts this year's US Open

"I didn't have too many expectations coming into the round really. I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself.

"It's 36 holes and there is a lot of golf to be played in that period so I tried not to have too many expectations, I just tried to do my best.

"It was nice on the 18th green and to have my mum and dad here this week was incredible."

China's Li Haotong will also play in a major for the first time after he matched Rai's eight-under second round to finish second on 13 under.

Wallace, who recently won the Open de Portugal on only his third European Tour start, added: "My first major, I'm so happy. I just can't believe it.

"Six months ago I was on the Alps Tour, which is crazy. I've just had the best six or seven months of my life."

Former Ryder Cup man Nicolas Colsaerts missed out on a place in the play-off by a single shot and dual Open champion Padraig Harrington finished on one-over-par and also failed to qualify.

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