Dredge defends US Open decision
Bradley Dredge will not attempt to qualify for this year’s US Open Dredge will this week attempt to become the first home winner of the Wales Open at the Celtic Manor, near Newport.But he is refusing to play the 36-hole qualifier at Walton Heath next Monday, meaning the 33-year-old Welshman will not play in the US Open.”I just don’t want to do it and luckily I don’t have to answer to anybody,” said Dredge.”I don’t do the Open qualifying or the US Open qualifying. I’m not prepared to sacrifice the other
tournaments that are on.”They come at natural weeks off for me on the schedule [he is not playing in Austria next week or in France the week after]. You’re always trying to balance and I have my own targets throughout the year. 
Bradley Dredge “I’d love to play and I would if I get exempt, but I don’t go to the qualifiers.”That’s the way I do it and everybody has their own take on it. If I play in a major then that’s great, but if I don’t get in it’s not the end of the world.”Some guys like to play a lot, but I’ve been playing a few years now and I’ve always tried to play quality golf rather than quantity golf.”This is my third week in a row and so to travel up there (from Newport to Surrey) and play 36 holes on Monday and try to play well, mentally I will be struggling.”I play tournaments because I love golf. I would never want to be at a tournament when I don’t want to be there, so I can’t see the point in doing it.”Dredge, who has never played in the US Open, missed the halfway cut in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week. That meant he stayed outside the world’s top 50, and therefore would have to come through the 36-hole qualifier at Walton Heath next Monday to play in the US Open. A whole host of European Tour winners will be in the qualifying field, including Darren Clarke.Dredge is also still to earn an exemption for July’s Open at Carnoustie, but a top two finish the Wales Open could get him back into the world top 50 just in time to seal a spot there.Retief Goosen, pushed down to 10th in the world rankings by also crashing out at halfway last week, is the only player in the top 25 taking part at the Celtic Manor, Colin Montgomerie having slipped to 36th this season.The tournament is back on the par 69 Roman Road course where Phillip Archer last year equalled the Tour record with his opening 60.Eventual winner Robert Karlsson set records for 36 and 54 holes by starting 61-63-65.Next year, the event will be switched to the far tougher re-modelled Wentwood Hills course, which will be used for the 2010 Ryder Cup.