McDowell missed out on the US Masters earlier this year

McDowell was joint second with England's Graeme Storm behind Dutchman Maarten Lafeber.

Indian duo Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh and Australia's Richard Green were also successful.

England's Oliver Wilson and Phillip Archer came through a five-man play-off to claim their spots in the top eight.

Top amateur Gary Wolstenholme and Dane Soren Kjeldsen were the next two best players and will be the first two reserves should anyone from their qualifier drop out.

McDowell booked his place for the year's second major with rounds of 72 and 68.

Last June, New Zealand's Michael Campbell qualified at Walton Heath and then triumphed at Pinehurst a week later and McDowell is hoping to repeat the feat this year.

"Michael's achievements are an inspiration for us all," said McDowell. "I'll be giving it my best shot.

"I sat out the Masters in April and didn't enjoy it. I was getting comfortable in the majors and don't want to watch them on television.

"This is a funny old format. You've no idea what's going on and I didn't know whether to be aggressive or defensive. I just had to go with my gut instinct."

Robert Karlsson and Paul Broadhurst, who finished first and second in the Wales Open at the weekend, could not maintain their form.

Karlsson had rounds of 73 and 74 to miss out on the play-off by seven shots while Broadhurst was only one stroke better off.