Gary Wolstenholme's dream of playing in the US Open at Torrey Pines became reality last night after the withdrawal of Sean O'Hair because of a pulled chest muscle.

Wolstenholme, 47, the former Amateur champion, who qualified as first reserve for the second major championship of the season, had cut a sorry figure earlier in the week when he was told that, unless he was in the field, he was not allowed to practise on the 7,643-yard course. “If I get in on Thursday, I could find myself teeing off without having hit a ball on the course,” the dejected Englishman said.

Now the six-times Walker Cup player will play in the company of Richard Sterne, of South Africa, and Hunter Mahan, of the United States - and even had the chance to play the course beforehand. His aim, he said, is to make the cut.

Wolstenholme took to 12 the record number of Englishmen in the field, which, along with two Scots, is a sign of the strength in depth of the domestic game. Less impressive is the fact that no British player has lifted the trophy since Tony Jacklin 38 years ago. Step forward Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Justin Rose.

Times Archive, 1970: Jacklin wins US Open

Tony Jacklin, the 25-year-old British Open champion, made golfing history yesterday by winning the United States championship

• Nicklaus fit for more, 1980

• Gary Player leads all the way in play-off, 1965

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• Wolstenholme counts cost of the US Open

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The marquee group is that involving Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, although all three have had doubts hanging over them. Woods, it seems, has not fully recovered from knee surgery, Scott has a broken finger and Mickelson spent time in hospital on Monday having tests for a stomach virus.

Yet, even crocked, Woods and Mickelson remain the players to beat on home territory. Woods has won the Buick Invitational over Torrey Pines for the past four years and six times in all. Mickelson has won the Buick three times and, having grown up locally, has played the course since he was a child.