Carl Pettersson's Sunday 68 guaranteed him a spot in both the 2009 Masters and U.S. Open. (Kinnaird/Getty Images)

They tied for sixth at 3-over 287, good enough to earn an invitation to the Masters and an exemption from qualifying for next year's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.

Not bad for two guys who had to go through qualifiers to get here.

The top eight get Masters invites and the top 15 are welcomed back to the U.S. Open.

Pettersson, of Sweden, shot a 3-under 68 on Sunday at Torrey Pines. Merrick, from up the freeway in Long Beach, had a 71.

It was the second Open for Merrick, who missed the cut in 2005.

"To play well like this is pretty gratifying," said Merrick, who had rounds of 73-72-71-71.

"It was one of those weeks where I had a good frame of mind and I just played consistent all week and never got out of my mode all week," he said. "Never got too excited. Never got too (upset) if something happened and just kind of moved on and just did my best.

"That was pretty cool."

Also earning invitations to the Masters and an exemption from qualifying for the 2009 U.S. Open are Lee Westwood (even-par 284); Robert Karlsson and D.J. Trahan (2-over 286); and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who tied with Merrick and Pettersson.

Jimenez birdied the 18th, which wound up taking away a Masters invite from Eric Axley, who needed the top-eight finish to assure himself of a trip to Augusta. Axley finished in a tie for ninth at 288. Axley does get to come back to the U.S. Open.

Mediate, who had to make it through qualifying to get here, is assured of all that, and maybe more.