<p class="title">Shubhankar Sharma's magnificent year continued as the Indian grabbed a spot in next week's US Open Golf Championships with a solid display of 69-68 in the qualifiers here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The prestigious tournament will be held at the Shinnecock Hills.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the qualifiers held at Brookside GCC and Lakes Golf and Country Club, the 21-year-old was tied fifth. Two other Indians -- Shiv Kapur -- playing the qualifier at Walton Heath, Surrey -- Arjun Atwal -- playing in Tennessee -- failed to earn a spot.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A thrilled Sharma said, "It was a great day for me. It was a long one with 36 holes but I am glad I played the Brookside in the morning as it is tougher with smaller greens. I grinded it out for a 69."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He added, "But it was nervy ending on the 18th (in the second round). I hit to the left off the tee and it took a bad bounce and it went into the rough. I had a terrible lie and I had to hit with one foot in the bunker with 150 yards to the front of the green.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I hit a 9-Iron, which stayed short and again in the rough, thick lie. But I made a great up and down. I hit a good chip to 10 feet and holed it for par. At that stage, I did not know the scores and felt that I needed to make par to have any chance."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharma has already played the Masters this year on a special invite and has now qualified for the US Open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier he earned a spot in the Open Championships at Carnoustie after winning the Joburg Open. He needs to stay in Top-100 of the world to play the last Major, the PGA Championships.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shrugging aside the disappointment of missing the cut at the Memorial, Sharma shot 3-under 69 with six birdies and three bogeys in the first round.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the second round, he was all aggression as he eagled the Par-5 third and added birdies on fifth and seventh and turned in 4-under for the round and 7-under for the qualifiers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A double bogey on Par-3 11th threatened his campaign before he showed great determination to hole back-to-back birdies on 15th and 16th and hold on to pars on last two holes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Korea's Sungjae Im (67-68) shared the top spot with Shane Lowry (68-67). Keegan Bradley (66-70) and Brian Gay (68-68) were Tied-3rd, while Sharma was Tied-5th with Russell Knox, Michael Putnam and two others.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Adam Scott parred his last four holes after bogeying 11th and 14th to find himself in a five-way tie for 10th place, which enabled him to squeeze in for his 67th successive Major appearance.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Scott has played every Major since the 2001 British Open. His streak is second only to Sergio Garcia's sequence of 75 appearances.</p>
<p class="title">Shubhankar Sharma's magnificent year continued as the Indian grabbed a spot in next week's US Open Golf Championships with a solid display of 69-68 in the qualifiers here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The prestigious tournament will be held at the Shinnecock Hills.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the qualifiers held at Brookside GCC and Lakes Golf and Country Club, the 21-year-old was tied fifth. Two other Indians -- Shiv Kapur -- playing the qualifier at Walton Heath, Surrey -- Arjun Atwal -- playing in Tennessee -- failed to earn a spot.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A thrilled Sharma said, "It was a great day for me. It was a long one with 36 holes but I am glad I played the Brookside in the morning as it is tougher with smaller greens. I grinded it out for a 69."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He added, "But it was nervy ending on the 18th (in the second round). I hit to the left off the tee and it took a bad bounce and it went into the rough. I had a terrible lie and I had to hit with one foot in the bunker with 150 yards to the front of the green.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I hit a 9-Iron, which stayed short and again in the rough, thick lie. But I made a great up and down. I hit a good chip to 10 feet and holed it for par. At that stage, I did not know the scores and felt that I needed to make par to have any chance."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharma has already played the Masters this year on a special invite and has now qualified for the US Open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier he earned a spot in the Open Championships at Carnoustie after winning the Joburg Open. He needs to stay in Top-100 of the world to play the last Major, the PGA Championships.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shrugging aside the disappointment of missing the cut at the Memorial, Sharma shot 3-under 69 with six birdies and three bogeys in the first round.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the second round, he was all aggression as he eagled the Par-5 third and added birdies on fifth and seventh and turned in 4-under for the round and 7-under for the qualifiers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A double bogey on Par-3 11th threatened his campaign before he showed great determination to hole back-to-back birdies on 15th and 16th and hold on to pars on last two holes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Korea's Sungjae Im (67-68) shared the top spot with Shane Lowry (68-67). Keegan Bradley (66-70) and Brian Gay (68-68) were Tied-3rd, while Sharma was Tied-5th with Russell Knox, Michael Putnam and two others.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Adam Scott parred his last four holes after bogeying 11th and 14th to find himself in a five-way tie for 10th place, which enabled him to squeeze in for his 67th successive Major appearance.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Scott has played every Major since the 2001 British Open. His streak is second only to Sergio Garcia's sequence of 75 appearances.</p>