And that’s the end of a very eventful second round. Gary Woodland takes a two-shot lead into the weekend, after a flawless 65. Join me for Moving Day tomorrow. Nighty night!
-9: Woodland
-7: Rose
-6: Oosthuizen
-5: Wise, McIlroy
-4: Reavie, Hadley, Kuchar, Koepka, Wallace
-3: Stenson, Scott, Piercy, Rahm, Z Johnson, McDowell, Garcia, Schauffele
Oosthuizen whips a 9-iron into the heart of 18. He’ll have two putts from distance for par and an eventful round of 70. And par five it is. That was his first par on the back nine, and only his second in the last 14 holes! Absurd. He’s nicely placed at the halfway stage at -6.
Par for Matt Wallace at 9, and he’s signing for an excellent 68. Xander Schauffele pars it too, though he won’t be so happy with his 73. They’re -4 and -3 respectively.
Gary Woodland rakes a 50-foot birdie putt across the 9th and in! A perfectly judged gentle right-to-left slider! He raises one arm in the air, fist clenched, and that’s a 65 to go alongside yesterday’s 69. He’s got himself a two-shot lead going into the weekend ... unless Louis Oosthuizen eagles the last, which he’s unlikely to do now having laid up.
-9: Woodland (F)
-7: Rose (F)
-6: Oosthuizen (17)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (F)
Sergio’s eagle effort is always missing on the left. But that’s a birdie that would have seemed a pipe dream when his tee shot was seemingly sailing off into the blue yonder. He’s converted that fortunate break into a 70, to go with yesterday’s 69. He’s -3 and far from out of it. Meanwhile his playing partner Tommy Fleetwood drains a bogey putt from the fringe. A huge cheer for this very popular player, because it means he’s limited the damage and almost certainly made the weekend! He’s +2, and the projected cut will save everyone on that mark.
Sergio sets about taking full advantage of that incredible stroke of good fortune. He creams a fairway wood into the front of the green, and he’ll have a 15-foot look at eagle. Woodland takes up half of California launching his ball into the 9th green from the depths of that monster divot. What power! Brooks Koepka would be proud of that. And a bogey for Schauffele at 8. He slips back to -3. It’s just not been his day.
Woodland crashes a monster drive down 9. It’s perfect, apart from the small detail of his ball resting in a large divot. Better luck off the tee for Sergio on 18, as he pulls a 3-wood towards the ocean, only to see it take a wild bounce off the edge of the fairway and kick back towards safety. Depending on what he makes here, that could be a pivotal moment in his US Open bid. And Oosthuizen still hasn’t made par on the back nine, firing a 5-iron over the flag at 17, then rolling in the 15-footer coming back! He’s -6.
Bogey for Oosthuizen on 16, and he’s still not made par on the back nine. He’s -5 again. Sergio drops one on 17 and he slips to -2. Meanwhile G-Mac, DJ and Lefty are all on the 18th in regulation. But nobody can make a birdie from distance. G-Mac signs for a 70; he’s -3. DJ puts his name to a 69 that should have been several shots better, if it wasn’t for that pesky putter. He’s -2. And Lefty finishes with a street-fighting 69; he’s -1.
Woodland doesn’t have too tricky a lie. But there’s not a lot of green to play with, and his ball trundles past the cup and onto the fringe at the back. It rolls back a little ... and then he guides in the left-to-right 15-foot curler for an exceptional scramble! A little fortunate that his second didn’t fly over the cliff edge, of course, but he’s earned that bit of luck, and his card remains clean. He remains one in the lead at -8.
A huge break for Woodland on 8. He slices his second off to the right, and toys with the hazard. Any more juice on the shot, and that was away down the cliff. But it snags in the rough to the right of the bunker. That’s still going to be quite a test. Zach Johnson signs for a 69; the erstwhile Masters and Open champ is -3, and is the sort of guy who could easily grind out a US Open. Meanwhile it’s yet another birdie for Matt Wallace, who sends his tee shot at 7 to ten feet and converts. He moves to -4 and is encouraged by some lairy frat boys either to throw his ball to them, or try to hit something. It’s not clear which. He flings it towards them. There’s a thud, at which point he laughs and shouts “fucking hell!” We only see Wallace. There’s nothing else to go on. It would make for a fine test on a creative writing course.
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A lovely wedge into 15 by Louis Oosthuizen. It leaves a straight ten-foot putt for birdie, and in it goes. He’s not made a par since the turn! He’s -6 again. And the all-new simmered-down Matt Wallace makes another birdie, this time at the par-five 6th, and he’s back to -3.
-8: Woodland (16*)
-7: Rose (F)
-6: Oosthuizen (15)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (F)
A lovely 4-iron into 17 by G-Mac. Two putts from 30 feet and that’s a difficult hole navigated in par. He’s -3. Then DJ finally makes a birdie putt! Naturally, it’s one of the harder one’s he’s faced today, a tricky left-to-right downhill slider, but he’s kept his cool, refused to get flustered, and now he’s got his reward. He’s -2. Bogey for Lefty, though, the result of sending his tee shot into the wrong part of the huge hourglass green. Back on 7, Woodland sends a tee shot into the short par-three to a similar distance. No interest in taking on the pin with all that trouble just behind it. He can’t quite drain the birdie putt, but he remains in the lead at -8. Not a blemish on his card today, and just two holes to go.
McIlroy faces a 30-foot birdie attempt from just off the front of 18. He races it four feet past the hole. Still work to do for par. But in it goes. He’ll feel a little deflated after events at 13 and 14, but it’s still a 69, and he’s right in this tournament, without having to worry about the pressure of front-running. Rahm’s next, with his 40-foot eagle attempt. A huge left-to-right curl, but he doesn’t give it enough and it’s always slipping by on the low side. But he’ll make birdie and sign for a one-under 70. That’s a result after his woeful start to the round. Rory’s -5, Rahm’s -3.
Woodland’s eagle putt doesn’t look like dropping, but no matter. He taps in for birdie, and takes sole ownership of the lead.
-8: Woodland (15*)
-7: Rose (F)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (17), Oosthuizen (14)
A stunning 3-iron fired straight into 18 by Jon Rahm. He’s gone under the radar today, after those bogeys at 1, 3 and 6, but he’s bounced back with birdies at 7, 9 and 13. Now he’s got an eagle putt from 30 feet, which would instantly turn a garden-variety day into a banner one. Rory’s wedge in however is no good, spinning back off the front. Par most likely when a birdie was desirable. And a birdie for Oosthuizen on 14, and he’s back to -5.
Gary Woodland is threatening to take charge here. He smashes a big drive down 6, then lashes an iron from 250 yards into the heart of the green. One of those that felt so good, he’s walking after it the second he’s completed his follow-through. He’s pin high, with a 20-footer across the green for an eagle and a two-shot lead. Elsewhere McIlroy takes his medicine and bashes back out onto the 18th fairway. Some big moments going into the weekend coming up right here.
McIlroy’s driver has let him down on more than one occasion today, and on 18 he sends his tee shot sailing wide right of the big tree. At least he’s not wet, and the decision about laying up or not has been taken out of his hands. He’s in thick rough. “Same again!” is his plaintive cry. Birdie for the amateur Brandon Wu at 4, a McIlroyesque response to a double bogey at 2 and bogey at 3. He’s still very nicely placed at -2.
Sergio nearly drains a birdie putt from off the front at 14, but it somehow lips out just as it looked like surely dropping. He stays at -3. Elsewhere, Matt Wallace calmed himself down and lifted a careful wedge to four feet, cleaning up for bounce-back birdie. He’s -2 again. It’s back-to-back bogeys for Oosthuizen, the latest at 13. And Rory can’t roll in his putt on 17, the ball always breaking to the right.
-7: Rose (F), Woodland (14*)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (17)
Gary Woodland joins Justin Rose in the lead at -7! His tee shot into 5 isn’t the greatest, but it is dead in the middle of the green, and he’s got a chance to tickle one in from 20 feet. He judges it perfectly! Not so perfect is Mickelson’s chip from the edge of 15. Almost a whiff, his ball, sitting up on the cabbage, only just topples onto the green, three feet away. He can’t make the par putt, and slips back to -2. G-Mac hits an eight-foot birdie attempt too hard, and it horseshoes out. He’s -3. Then DJ misses yet another birdie putt, a seven-footer slipping by on the right. This is farcical. He’s had birdie chance after birdie chance, but nothing’s dropped! He’s -1.
McIlroy’s tee shot at the iconic 17th. It’s not quite the Golden Bear in 1972, but it is very good. Straight at the flag, and he’ll have a look at a third birdie in a row from eight feet.
Another birdie for McIlroy, who is repairing his round apace! His second into 16 doesn’t bite and spin back as he’d like, which means the ball rolls into the fringe at the back. But he strokes home a 17-foot left-to-right curler, and pumps the air with great feeling! His last six holes: 3-3-5-7-3-3. What he’d give to have 13 and 14 again.
-7: Rose (F)
-6: Woodland (13*)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (16), Oosthuizen (12)
G-Mac sends his third at 14 over the back. He gets relief from the grandstand, and very nearly gets up and down from the drop zone, but the mistake was the approach. It’s a six and he’s heading backwards. He’s -3 and beginning to look a little frustrated, so much good work undone in the last four holes. Meanwhile yet another birdie putt for DJ goes sailing by. He’s -1, but really should be much further up the rankings. But his flat stick is stone cold. However another birdie for Mickelson, his sixth today, and he’s -3. This couldn’t be on, could it? Not entirely sure I’ll be able to cope if the great entertainer’s in the mix for a much-deserved career slam on Sunday afternoon. Just warning you.
Louis Oosthuizen has made one par in the last eight holes. He’s been yo-yoing this way and that. This time it’s a bogey at 12, following a failure to find the putting surface from the tee. He’s -5. Gary Woodland stays at -6 after doing well to get up and down from the bank at the back of 4. Meanwhile Sergio leaves a birdie putt at 13 a couple of inches short. He’s done that a few times today, failing to get the speed of these greens.
It’s been a tough grind for Xander Schauffele since those bogeys at 13 and 14. But he’s finally moving in the right direction again, taking advantage of a friendly bounce off the bank to the right of the 3rd. The ball kicks left, having had a fair bit of speed removed from it by the cushion of rough, and stops six feet short. He rolls in for birdie that takes him back to -4. Meanwhile all of Matt Wallace’s momentum is lost, hitting two weak chips into 2 and then 3, both leading to needless bogeys. He flings his putter down with great intensity after the second bogey, a full-scale meltdown. He’ll do well to calm down after that miserable show.
McIlroy makes his birdie putt at 15. That’s a stunning response to a very worrying situation; plenty of his fans will have feared the worst after his drive found a bunker following bogey and a double-bogey seven. But that’s got him back on the horse. He’s -4. Meanwhile Woodland’s second into 4 takes a hot bounce and buries itself into the thick nonsense at the back.
Birdie for Oosthuizen at 11, taking advantage of a big stroke of luck. His approach looked like snagging on a rough-covered bank, but his ball kicked abruptly left and ended up six feet from the flag. If he was unfortunate earlier when his approach to 8 stayed on the bank, inches from perfection, this is payback time. He returns to a share of second at -6. Meanwhile McIlroy arrests his slide in sensational fashion. He clips a 9-iron off the sand and arrows his ball straight at the flag. It comes to a screeching halt six feet short, and he’ll have a chance to start repairing some of the damage of the previous two holes immediately.
Lefty rattles a 35-foot birdie putt up the 13th green and into the cup! One of those that was always going to get swallowed up by the hole from the second it left the face of the flat stick! He’s back to -2 and simply refusing to let his career-slam dream die. G-Mac’s effort from 10 feet shaves the high side, but he remains at -4. Par for DJ as well, as he lets another birdie chance slip by. He stays at -1. But McIlroy’s round is threatening to totally unravel, as he sends his drive at 15 into sand down the left.
The highly regarded amateur Brandon Wu continues to rip the place up. Having played the harder back nine in 33, he’s started working his way through the front with birdie at 1. He’s -4 for both his round and the tournament. A local lad doing extremely well. Meanwhile it’s three shots gone in two holes for Rory McIlroy, who can’t knock in his bogey putt on 14. He leaves the scene of the par-five having run up seven. He clatters down the standings to -3.
If Rory’s wedge into 14 was a bad mistake, this next chip is a potential catastrophe. He flips weakly into the air and dumps his fourth into the big bunker. He’ll be doing well to get up and down for a bogey six. He whips out to eight feet, but this is a big putt coming up.
McIlroy’s wedge into 14 is dismal. He lifts it high into the air, the ball biting on the green and spinning hysterically back off the false front. He’s left with a tricky chip over a bunker, and not much in the way of green to play with. That’s a bad mistake. Meanwhile two birdies in four holes for Li Haotong, at 2 and 4, and he’s putting together a lovely round here. Four under today, and -4 for the tournament as well. With the two cute par threes to come!
DJ misses another fine birdie chance. A straight 13-footer on the par-three 12th slips by the left of the cup. And one goes begging on 2, where Gary Woodland sticks his approach to 12 feet, but can’t guide in the left-to-right curler. A putt missed at 10, meanwhile, as Louis Oosthuizen drops another. And while we’re on this subject, Phil misses another short one, this time at 12, and he’s back down to -1.
Rickie Fowler continues to suffer. Bogey at 1, and he’s currently four over for his round. Just not at the races today. He’s currently -1, just three shots above the projected cut at +2. Having started the day harbouring dreams of glory, it’s a sad state of affairs. Meanwhile G-Mac whips a gorgeous shot out of the bunker at the front of 12, nearly holing it, but happy to escape with his par. And on the par-five 14th, McIlroy’s drive slips into the thick stuff down the left, meaning he’s got to lay up as opposed to going for it. He lays up and will be wedging in from 100 yards or so.
Matt Wallace is coming of age in the majors. The 29-year-old Englishman finished the recent PGA in a tie for third, and now he’s taking a proper tilt at the US Open. He’s just made back-to-back birdies at 18 and 1, and he’s -3 with plenty of birdie opportunities on the front nine to come.
Jon Rahm rolls a 30-foot birdie effort into the cup at 13. He’s only five behind at -2. Fellow big hitter Dustin Johnson should be joining him there, but he doesn’t give a four-foot birdie putt enough on the high side, and it dies away. Par. He remains at -1. And McIlroy can’t make his par saver on 13.
-7: Rose (F)
-6: Woodland (10*), Oosthuizen (9)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (13)
Birdie for Gary Woodland at 1. He joins McIlroy in second place at -6 ... but he might not have Rory for company in a minute, as the 2011 champ has plugged his approach to 13 in sand, and not gone particularly close with the splash out. Meanwhile on 11, G-Mac drops back to -4, the result of sending his tee shot into the thick stuff on the right.
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Carlos Ortiz creams his second shot into the par-five 6th. He lands it on the front of the green, his ball rolling up to ten inches or so. Less than a foot from an albatross! A tap-in for eagle. The 28-year-old Mexican has only competed in one major before, missing the cut in the US Open at Oakmont in 2016. He’s got a fair chance of making this one now, though. He’s currently got two holes left to play, and he’s -2 for the tournament.
Louis Oosthuizen chipped in from the bunker guarding the front of 9 yesterday. He very nearly does it again today, but will be more than happy to escape with par. He should aim there tomorrow and Sunday. A distinctly Ulster feel to the US Open leader board, so much so that you’d wish it was being read out by Julian Simmons.
-7: Rose (F)
-6: McIlroy (12), Oosthuizen (9)
-5: Wise (F), McDowell (10), Woodland (9*)
Pars That Feel Like Birdies (No1 in an occasional series): Rory McIlroy at the par-three 12th. His tee shot finds a deep bunker and with not too much in the way of green to play with, it’s all he can do to send his second 20 feet past the flag. No matter! He races in the par saver, and that keeps him within a shot of Justin Rose. He punches the air modestly, knowing how precious every shot can be in the chase of a major championship ... especially a US Open.
Graeme McDowell is one inch away from holing out from 199 yards on 10! That’s a kick-in birdie that’ll take him to -5, just two shots off the lead. His playing partner DJ eases a 7-iron to six feet, a shot that would normally send the crowd wild, but it’s nothing compared to G-Mac’s astonishing approach. Lefty’s second is bang average, but he’s not to be denied, rattling in a 30-footer to get the gallery going. He’s -2 again. And finally DJ converts to rise to -1. Three birdies at 10! You’ll not see many groups doing that again in the US Open at Pebble Beach.
It’s all change near the top! Louis Oosthuizen slips out of the lead after failing to get up and down from thick rough at the front of the green. He’s unfortunate, because his approach was just a few feet short of perfection. Gary Woodland very nearly drains a birdie putt from Matt Kuchar Country at the back of 18, but it’s just par for a player who is enjoying a mid-career boost, having recently recorded a couple of top-ten finishes at the PGA. Good news for Rory though: he curls in a 12-footer on 11, and he’s just a shot off the lead! This is hotting up nicely.
-7: Rose (F)
-6: McIlroy (11), Oosthuizen (8)
-5: Wise (F), Woodland (9*)
Scott Piercy is going the wrong way. Bogey at 18 followed by another at 2, and he’s over par for his round today and -3 overall. Fowler tries his best to get up and down from the drop zone at 18 but that’s another shot gone; he’s -2. Meanwhile on 9 Mickelson takes his drop then trundles a chip 15 feet past the flag. He does extremely well to steer in a left-to-right curler to limit the damage to bogey. He slips to -1, but that could have been a whole lot worse. And birdie for DJ, his second in four holes, and he’s turning in level-par 35. He’s level for the tournament as well.
Oh Phil! He tugs his second shot at 9, from the centre of the fairway, over the edge running down the right of the hole. That’s almost certainly going to put the kibosh on his momentum. Meanwhile par for McIlroy at 10. He’d sent his drive into sand down the left, but creamed his second to 15 feet. The birdie putt nearly dropped, only to horseshoe out at the last. Slightly frustrating, but it looks like on balance he’ll take it. He wanders off happy enough, still just a couple behind the leading pair. “Like Mickelson at the US Open and Lee Trevino at the Masters, some other things just aren’t meant to be,” suggests Simon McMahon, before trotting out a few more examples. “Safe passage for Scotland through a World Cup group stage. Tim Henman and the Wimbledon final. Jimmy White and the World Snooker Championship. Buffalo Bills and the Super Bowl. Socks and sandals. Whisky with mixer. Peanut butter and jelly.”
Rickie Fowler decides to force things on 18. Bad idea. He crashes a big drive down the track, then sends a huge hook into the Pacific. He looks on the verge of tears, poor chap, as he sees his latest bid for a major hit the rocks ... literally, his ball bouncing all over the beach en route to the briny. But there’s plenty of time to salvage the situation. Things change quickly in championship golf. Exhibit A: Louis Oosthuizen, who follows his bogey at 5 with back-to-back birdies at 6 and 7, the latter after clipping his wedge to tap-in distance, one of the shots of the week so far. Suddenly the 2015 runner-up is tied for the lead!
-7: Rose (F), Oosthuizen (7)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (9), Woodland (8*)
G-Mac’s run of birdies comes to an end at 8. But he’s happy enough, getting up and down having left himself well short of the green in two. Meanwhile on the practice area, Jordan Spieth and his caddie and pal Michael Greller appear to be having some sort of clear-the-air discussion. A casual sit-down pow-wow that has reportedly been going on for some time. They look happy and relaxed enough when they eventually get up and amble off. There’s nice. All friends again, we hope, after that moment on 18 yesterday.
Sergio spins his tee shot at 7 to five feet, and makes no mistake with the putt. He’s suddenly just three off the lead at -4. Li Haotong curls in a 20-footer on 18 to complete the back nine in 33 strokes: he’s -3. And the 22-year-old Californian amateur Brandon Wu chips in from the fairway at 15! A birdie, his third of the day already after picking up strokes at 10 and 14. He’s -3. With the equally sensational Viktor Hovland already home and hosed at level par, the race for low amateur over the weekend is going to be worth the price of admission on its own.
Rickie Fowler is desperate for his maiden major. But he’s going in the wrong direction this afternoon. A bogey at 14, and now another at 17 after sending his tee shot into sand. He slips to -3, and will be hoping his fortunes change on the slightly easier front nine.
A garden-variety par for McIlroy at 9, and he’s turning in 33 strokes. Meanwhile his partner Jon Rahm is beginning to piece his round back together after that appalling start. The damage of bogeys at 1, 3 and 6 has been almost repaired by birdies at 7 and now 9, where he chips in from the fringe at the back, a good 40 feet away. He’s back to -1.
Having dropped a stroke at 5, Sergio picks it straight back up at the par-five 6th. Almost a carbon copy of G-Mac’s flop from a tight spot to the left of the green. He’s -3. Speaking of the 2010 champion, McDowell rolls in his birdie putt on 7 and that’s four in a row! This is astonishing! Gary Woodland’s going along well, too, with birdies at 12 and 16, and the leader board is beginning to look very interesting indeed!
-7: Rose (F)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (8), Woodland (7*), Oosthuizen (5)
-4: Reavie (F), Hadley (F), Kuchar (F), Koepka (F), Fowler (7*), McDowell (7)
Bogey for Louis Oosthuizen at the par-three 5th. Missing the green a no-no. Meanwhile back-to-back birdies for Li Haotong, who you may remember shooting a final-day 63 at Birkdale in the 2017 Open to snatch third spot from nowhere. The 23-year-old Chinese prodigy has been steady if not so spectacular in the majors since, but he’s already got a couple of wins on the European Tour under his belt, and another big performance in a major is surely just a matter of time. Well, how about now? Birds at 14 and 15 spring him up to -2 after yesterday’s 71.
A fine up and down for McIlroy at 8. He can’t realistically stop his downhill chip from the thick stuff anywhere near the hole, but does pretty well to stay within ten feet. He rolls in the saver for a par that’ll feel like a birdie. He remains at -5, just two off the lead. And his compatriot G-Mac is flying, screeching a wedge at the short par-three 7th to ten feet. He’s not going to make four birdies in a row, is he?
It’s been a stuttering start by Dustin Johnson. Nothing like that triple/double/bogey start to his catastrophic collapse on Sunday in 2010. But bogeys at 3 and 4 have him teetering on the edge of the projected cut at +2. He’s on the fringe of the par-five 6th in two, but he’ll be doing well to take two putts from 65 feet. So of course he nearly drains the monster eagle effort. Birdie will do. And it’s all happening in this final group, because G-Mac makes it three birdies on the bounce after flipping a cute wedge from tight stuff to four feet, while Mickelson chips in for his third birdie in five holes! Suddenly that career slam doesn’t look such a pipe dream, huh. DJ’s +1, Lefty is -2, G-Mac -3.
Thanks Rob. The wind looks to have dried the greens out a bit, and so they’re slightly harder to hold. McIlroy’s second into 8 takes a hard bounce off the green and disappears into the mulch at the back. He leans over as if in pain. A tricky up and down if he wants to keep just a couple off Rose’s lead. And it’s back-to-back bogeys for Xander Schauffele, at 13 and now 14. He slips to -3.
-7: Rose (F)
-6: Oosthuizen (4)
-5: Wise (F), McIlroy (7)
Graeme McDowell dropped shots at 2 and 3 and things were looking bleak for the Irishman, but his response has been impressive. A birdie at 4 was crucial for his confidence and on the par three sixth he drifts in a beautiful long putt to return to -2. Not to be outdone, McIlroy takes up the baton on 7, arrowing his tee shot close to the hole. Rahm is having an awful time and shanks a horrible shot but it takes a remarkable bounce ahead of the green and rolls up alongside McIlroy’s. The Spaniard then screams in the birdie putt, on the back of Leishman’s successful attempt, before McIlroy follows him in to make it a clean sweep of birdies for the group. McIlroy is now just two off the lead. And that’s all from me. Welcome back Scott …
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Rickie Fowler’s driving and iron game has been superb today but he just cannot hole a putt. Another one slides by on 14 to earn him a frustrating six and with that he slips back to -4, three off Rose in the lead. If some of these had dropped for Rickie today he would have been the man in charge of this tournament right now, instead he’s in the chasing pack and needing a fine end to his round to lift his spirits.
Dustin Johnson looks like he is in the Pacific Ocean on 4 but his ball somehow stops short of the water. A decent third shot leaves him a long par putt but he can’t complete the great escape and drops to +2. Mickelson ends his run of birdies with a feeble attempt while Oosthuizen leaves a long birdie attempt short on 2 to stay a shot off the lead. A brilliant two on 12 from Matt Wallace takes him to -2.
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Justin Rose remains the leader in the clubhouse on -7 and seems in confident mood as he chats about his second round …
I started off much like yesterday, hit a couple of nice shots into the first and then had to scramble a bit. Settled into the round and felt like i got some nice momentum going but unfortunately my round went a little flat. The finish was petty tricky but I felt like I held it together and it was a decent round. If you’re gonna win a golf tournament you’ve got to be playing well.
Dustin Johnson is all over the place and must be beginning to worry about being here for the weekend. A messy bogey at 3 takes him to +1 after a lacklustre 71 yesterday and he needs to get things going soon. It can’t help that Mickelson is heading the other way. A huge cheer greets Lefty’s fine approach at 3 and he rolls in the putt for his second birdie in a row. He is up to -1.
McIloy attacks 4 with gusto and gets his reward. A 3-wood almost makes the green on the par 4 hole and a delightful chip and assured putt bring him his first birdie of the day. He’s -4 now.
Thanks Scott, and hello all. The first thing I can tell you is Justin Rose’s two-shot lead is a two-shot lead no more. The man on his own in second is Louis Oosthuizen, who has just rolled in a birdie putt at the first hole to go to -6 and confirm himself as a contender here at Pebble Beach after his fine 66 yesterday. The 2010 Open champions is definitely one to watch.
Of course, the flip side to Mickelson’s wild driving is his ability to make outrageous escapes. From the filth down the left of 2, he whips a stunning second to four feet. In goes the putt, and he’s level par again. A pipe dream, was that? Meanwhile his partner G-Mac cards his first bogey of the week and slips to -1. And an opening birdie for Sergio at 1; he’s -3.
With that, I’m off to be fed and watered. See you soon, but in the meantime, the one and only Rob Bleaney will be your guide.
McIlroy’s not going to win this US Open if he keeps giving up good chances with the flat stick. It’s all good and well cutting the corner at the dogleg par-four 3rd, skelping a 3-wood 300 yards, only to send a sand wedge close then miss the putt. Not disastrous, but he really should be two under for his round today. As it is, he stays at -3. Chances at the US Open come at a premium.
Mickelson sprays his tee shot at 2 so far left that it avoids the thickest rough. Is there any wonder he’s never won a US Open? Some things just aren’t meant to be, like Lee Trevino at the Masters. Birdie meanwhile for Bryson DeChambeau at 2 after going close with his approach; he’s -3.
DJ sends his second at 1 to 14 feet, but like McIlroy before him, a huge right-to-left swing on the putt denies him birdie. Mickelson pulls a birdie putt of similar length, but far straighter, wide right of the cup. Finally it’s G-Mac, the only player in the field yet to make a bogey this week. That dreadful opening shot should have put an end to that proud boast, but he powers his second to the front of the green and then, after hitting a rather bobbly putt to ten feet, guides in the saver. A modest air-punch to celebrate his gritty par. He remains at -2; DJ is level par while Mickelson is +1.
McIlroy passes up a great chance for birdie at 2 after sending his approach to six feet. He pulls the putt, and remains at -3. Rahm also misses a birdie putt from an almost identical spot, having sent a lovely second in from the sand. Leishman does well to scramble par again. Up on 10, Jason Day starts with a double-bogey six after visiting the beach. The 2015 PGA winner is +1. Par for Rickie Fowler, who remains two off Justin Rose’s lead at -5.
Here comes Lefty, continuing his latest bid to complete the career slam. To be perfectly frank, landing that elusive US Open looks something of a pipe dream. Partly because he now has to break the record set by Julius Boros, who won the 1968 PGA at 48 years of age; Mickelson will be 49 on Sunday. But mainly because he shot 72 yesterday. Still, he’s not going to die wondering, and cracks his opening tee shot down the middle of 1. So does DJ, but the third member of the group, the 2010 conqueror of Pebble Beach, Graeme McDowell, wangs his into deep filth down the left. God speed, everyone.
McIlroy sends his second at 1 over the flag, but can’t guide in a birdie putt from 15 feet with a mammoth right-to-left break. Par will suffice, especially as Rahm is punished for missing the fairway and drops immediately back to -1. Leishman got away with his errant tee shot, making par, but he’s just sent a big slice into the thick rubbish down the right of 2. McIlroy pumps big down the middle of the long par-four. Finally Rahm finds a bunker down the right. More trouble awaits for Rory’s partners.
What Pebble Beach gives, Pebble Beach takes away. Sepp Straka nearly made eagle after that spectacular drive on 4. Now he tugs his tee shot at the par-five 5th into deep rough. He chips up well enough to seven feet, but runs the par putt a similar distance past, and that’s a really miserable double bogey. As quick as a flash, he’s back to where he started the day: -3.
Here comes Rory! His playing partners Jon Rahm (-2) and Marc Leishman (-2) both send their tee shots into the thick stuff down the right of 1. McIlroy (-3) is making no such mistake, clattering a driving iron down the centre. Birdie meanwhile for Scott Piercy, at 13; the 40-year-old from Vegas, who tied for second at Oakmont in 2016, picks up a stroke at 13 to join the pack in second place. A monster putt!
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And finally Justin Rose, who makes a drama-free par. He ends the day with a 70 that could have been better ... but could have been a whole lot worse had his putter not been working. With the wind picking up a little for the afternoon starters, and the greens getting a little harder, he could be in very good nick by the end of the day. A two-putt birdie for Sepp Straka on 4, by the way; his eagle putt never looked like dropping, but that’s thoroughly deserved after such a cracking drive.
-7: Rose (F)
-5: Wise (F), Straka (4), Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Reavie (F), Hadley (F), Kuchar (F), Koepka (F), Piercy (3*)
-3: Stenson (F), Scott (F), McIlroy, Woodland
Ian Poulter won’t be here this weekend after carding a second 73. A round that included a quadruple-bogey eight at the 3rd. But he leaves with a little something to remember: a third shot holed out from deep rough, 70 yards out to the left of 9. Coming behind, the group of Woods, Rose and Spieth. Bogey for Spieth, the result of missing the green to the left with his approach. But that’s a 69 that brings him into the periphery of things at -1. Tiger, who sent a sensational third to seven feet from Poulter Territory, hits a timid par putt and slips to level par for the tournament after a 72. A poor bogey-bogey finish.
Matt Fitzpatrick ends with birdie at 18, and he files a 71 alongside yesterday’s 69. He’s -2 going into the weekend. Paul Casey shoots 72, having bogeyed 5 and 6 on the way home. He’s level par for the tournament. And one of the shots of the week by Sepp Straka at the 334-yard par-four 4th! He flashes his drive down the middle, guiding his ball through the small opening at the front of the green and onto the putting surface! He’ll have a 35-foot look at eagle!
Some pleasing news regarding Nate Lashley. (Backstory at 3.50pm.) Out in 74, with another shot shed at 10, it looked as though he might not make the cut (currently projected at +2). But a run of pars home, plus birdie at 16, mean he’s signing his name to a second-round 74. At -1, the 36-year-old debutant, who has suffered some hard times, will make it to the weekend.
The Woods-Rose-Spieth group all make a meal of the course management puzzle that is the 8th. Perhaps spooked by Spieth plummeting into the Pacific Ocean yesterday, all three leave themselves long irons into the small green. The result is three very missable par putts. However it’s only Tiger who blinks, slipping back to -1. Rose remains two clear at the top on -7, while Spieth stays at -2. Spieth’s been incredibly erratic, that’s only his sixth par of the day. But he’s three under for his round, a mark that’s only been bettered so far by Jim Furyk, so he’ll be happy enough to make up ground on much of the field.
A word on Adam Scott, who has flown totally under the Fox Sports radar. The 2013 Masters champion started out today with back-to-back bogeys, but birdies at 4, 6, 9, 14 and 15, with only one more dropped shot at 14, have led to a 69 that goes nicely alongside yesterday’s 70. He’s -3, in lovely shape for Moving Day.
Just like yesterday, Matt Kuchar finishes his round on a high! He drained a 30-footer for birdie on 9 at the end of his first round; today he’s chipping in from the back of 18, a 60-foot trundle that gives him a second 69 of the week. He’s back in the clubhouse at -4.
Brooks Koepka nearly drains his birdie putt across 9. Just the par to finish, but that’s another 69 and the two-time defending champion is in very good nick ahead of the weekend, when things get real. He’s -4. Par for the soon-to-be-professional Viktor Hovland, who cards a two-over 71. At level par, he’s certain to be here for the weekend. But bogey for Francesco Molinari, who was grinding out a fine score despite fighting his game for the first 16 holes, then shed three shots over the closing two. A very disappointing 72, but he’s still in the mix at -2.
The 2003 champion from Olympia Fields, Jim Furyk, finished with a four-under 67. That’s the best of the day so far, and he’s -2 for the tournament. Meanwhile Matt Kuchar, having whistled his tee shot at 17 onto the beach, limits the damage to bogey and is currently just off the back of 18 in two. And over on 9, the reigning champion Brooks Koepka finds the heart of the green in regulation, and he’ll have a look at birdie from 20 feet.
Not for the first time today, Tiger doesn’t hit a long, straight putt. A little more juice on his effort at 7, and that would have been his second birdie of the day. Rose makes the same mistake from practically the same spot, having learned nothing. Spieth makes it three pars, chipping close from the cabbage at the back. Meanwhile the afternoon wave begins, and Sepp Straka starts where he left off yesterday, in fine form. His second into 1 from 150 yards lands six feet from the flag, and in goes the birdie putt. Born in Austria but representing the US after moving Stateside as a teenager, Straka’s -4.
Koepka is an inch or so away from draining a 30-foot birdie effort on 8. Spieth birdies 6, then sends his tee shot at the 116-yard par-three 7th over the flag and into the tough stuff at the back. Tiger and Rose are on, left with uphill 15-20 foot putts. Molinari can’t make his bogey putt, and he clatters down the standings to -3. And Stenson makes a meal of the last: a bogey after carefully laying up, and that’s a level-par 71. He remains at -3.
Rose splashes out to ten feet, and though he can’t make his birdie, par will do given the zig-zagging route he took up the hole. He remains two in the lead at -7. Molinari doesn’t enjoy so much good fortune: his ball did in fact topple over the slope to the right of 8, and though he finds it after a three-minute-nudging search, he’s forced to go back to the drop zone on the other side of the cliff. He wedges his fourth into the heart of the green, but he’ll have to make a 20-footer for bogey. After scrambling so many pars, it’s all going wrong one hole from home.
Rose can take a good thrash at his ball with a fairway wood. But it flies off to the right and for a second looks like sailing over the edge of the cliff on the right. His ball hits a mound and bounces left, into a friendly bunker. He’s left on a downslope, but he’ll have taken that when his ball was sailing through the air in threatening fashion. Meanwhile on 17, Matt Kuchar hooks his tee shot down into the cove on the left. A loud peal of laughter rings from the gallery, perhaps a consequence of his recent PR gaffes, who knows.
Justin Rose has lost a little momentum since the turn. He’s already over par on the front nine, and sending a huge hook into the gallery down the left of the par-five 6th isn’t going to help. He’ll need a lucky break there. As will Francesco Molinari, who slices his approach at 8 towards the cliffs on the right. It doesn’t look as though his ball’s toppled over, but he’ll be snagged up in some thick stuff if it hasn’t.
Chesson Hadley follows up his opening round of 68 with a 70. As one-under rounds go, it was quite the ride: six birdies, three bogeys and a double. But you can’t expect perfection from a player who has missed six of his last seven cuts. He’s not missing this one, though, and he’s nicely placed for the weekend at -4.
Rose tidies up for par at 5. Spieth limits the damage to bogey. He slips back to -1. Chez Reavie is back home with a 70. And Koepka makes his short birdie putt on 7. Not so long ago, he was six shots off the pace. Now he’s just three back.
-7: Rose (14*)
-5: Wise (F), Molinari (16*), Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Reavie (F), Hadley (17*), Stenson (17), Koepka (16*), Piercy
A couple of lovely shots into the par threes. Rose knocks his tee shot at 5 pin high to 15 feet. He can’t make the birdie putt, though. On 7, Koepka screws his wedge to five feet. Before he putts, Molinari chips in for the second time today from the back of the green! The birdie takes him to within two at -5.
“Aw dang it, sit down! Oh my goodness.” Who else but Quagmire Jordan Spieth? He hoicks his tee shot into an awful lot of nonsense to the left of the par-three 5th. And there’s more, as he whips a flyer through the green and into the thick fescue on the other side. “Oh my God, I didn’t see that coming!” Marvellous commentary, but after underhitting his next chip, he’ll be left with an eight-footer for bogey. Meanwhile up on 6, Molinari passes up an eight-foot birdie opportunity: he stays at -3. Koepka however birdies to join him at that mark, having reached the green in two big booms.
Rose lands his wedge on the fringe at the back of the 4th, spinning the ball back to six feet. He’ll have a chance to get out of there with a par. He’s not escaping from this one, though. His putt doesn’t drop, but that’s all down to a wayward tee shot. Spieth makes a nine-foot downhill dribbler for birdie, and returns to -2. And that’s where Tiger stays after failing to make a seven-footer for his birdie. As he stoops to mark his ball before tidying up, he breathes out and whispers an exasperated “fucksake”. Yes, yes, won’t somebody think about the kids, and all that. But what perfect comic timing.
Trouble for the leader at the short par-four 4th. Rose sends his tee shot over the edge of the cliff to the right. His ball doesn’t topple all the way down, nestling by a plant in the penalty area, but he’s not going to be able to get a club to that. A drop, and he’ll need to make another up-and-down from distance to keep his three-stroke lead in tact.
That’s a fine finish to his round by Aaron Wise! He follows up birdie at 17 with another at 18, and ends up signing for a level-par 71. Back in 34 strokes, a very impressive salvage operation. He’s the very early 36-hole clubhouse leader. Meanwhile bogey for the erratic Chesson Hadley at 7, but birdies for Chez Reavie at 16 and 17, and one for steady-eddie Henrik Stenson at 15. Here’s the latest top ten [cues up Yellow Pearl] ...
-8: Rose (12*)
-5: Wise (F), Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Reavie (17), Hadley (16*), Stenson (16), Molinari (14*), Piercy
Here’s quite a round being put together by 37-year-old Japanese journeyman Kodai Ichihara. He played the back nine in 42 strokes, after making one bogey, two pars, five bogeys and a double at 18. But since turning, he’s birdied 1, and eagled the second after holing out from 200 yards! And they say football’s a game of two halves. He’s +12 right now, so will be packing his bags once he’s done, but at least he’s got a fair few memories to take away with him, and stories to tell.
Koepka goes closest to birdie at 5, his putt from 15 feet drifting left at the last. Molinari pars. A three-putt bogey for Hovland. Meanwhile pars all round on 3 for Rose, Woods and Spieth.
Rose pearls a big drive down the centre of 3, then fails to reach the green with a delicate wedge. AAAW! he cries as the ball travels along its parabola o’pain. He’ll still have a fairly simple up and down from just off the front, though he’d have been hoping for a good look at birdie from there. Tiger and Spieth are also both short in two.
The wind’s up. Molinari, at the cliff-edge par-three 5th, sends a gentle fade into the heart of the green. Hovland, who has just picked up his first birdie of the day at 4 to move back into red figures, finds the dancefloor too. The defending champ up last. Koepka caresses an 8-iron into the middle of the green. All three will have a look at birdie from mid-range.
Molinari’s second into 4 takes a hot bounce and flies into the thick grass up a small back at the back. No matter! He dinks a little chip down the slope, his ball hitting the flag and dropping! A birdie that takes him up to -4. After all his travails today, he’s in credit for his round now! Koepka meanwhile misses a 12-footer for birdie, forcing those big shoulders to droop a bit. The psychological power of golf.
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Meanwhile Tiger sticks his second to 13 feet, while Rose gets a fortunate break off the bank guarding the right of the green, his ball kicking left to four feet! Tiger can’t make his birdie putt; par. Spieth makes his bogey putt; he slips to -1, but that’s a good result in the circumstances. And Rose rolls in his birdie effort, and he’s back to -8. Also going the correct way: Aaron Wise, who birdies 17 after clipping a lovely tee shot on a very testing par-three to 12 feet. He’s -4 again.
-8: Rose (11*)
-5: Hadley (14*), Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Wise (17), Piercy
Jordan Spieth is fuming again ... though this time not with his caddie. It’s a surreal situation in a bunker down the right of 2. He doesn’t make a particularly good job of getting his ball over the face, but it’s just about going over. However it hits a rake that was hidden in the tangled grass across the top of the bunker! “Oh my god, there was a rake in there!” His ball clatters into it and snags in the rough. He’s forced to hack onto the fairway, and is wedging four into the green. He goes close, and will have a chance to limit the damage to bogey. That was all a bit odd.
Molinari bumps a chip shot to three feet, and tidies up for yet another par save. This is turning into one of the great grinds. One for the purists. Koepka has a putt of exactly 20 feet from the fringe, and he can’t believe it when the fairly straight uphill effort slips by the left of the cup, maybe the width of a blade of grass away from dropping. Another par on a day when the two-time defending champion can’t quite get going. Molinari’s -3; Koepka’s -2. Meanwhile Hadley bounces back with birdie at 5, hitting his tee shot at the par-three 5th to ten feet. He returns to -5 after a brief period away.
The dangers of backspin. Koepka hits a gap wedge from 130 yards at 3, landing it next to the hole. Instead of biting a little and stopping close, it spins hysterically backwards and off the front of the green. He’ll still have a look at birdie from the apron, 20 feet away, but for a while that looked so much better. Molinari is once again struggling, his ball having taken a huge bounce left off a hillock on the right, and rolling off the front of the green and back down the fairway.
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Rose can’t make his par putt. It looked as though he had, but it horseshoes out. As close as you can get without it dropping - and Rose really isn’t sure why that lipped out, a little too much pace maybe - but it’s his first bogey of the day. Pars for Tiger and Spieth, who both remain at -2. But just five off the lead now.
-7: Rose (10*)
-5: Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
Back on 1, all the leader Rose can do is hack out of the thick stuff. He’ll need to repeat Molinari’s earlier antics if he’s to escape with his par. He lands his wedge to six feet, so he’ll have a chance to keep his second round bogey-free.
Molinari makes a calm fuss-free par at 2. Picking up the dramatic slack: Brooks Koepka, whose tee shot found thick rough down the right. His 8-iron coming out is short of the green ... but no worries, because he takes out his wedge and chases a left-to-right curler to kick-in distance. A lovely save. They’re -3 and -2 respectively.
A chink of light for the chasing pack? Rose takes an iron for safety off the 1st tee, and sends his ball into the tallest rough down the right. Tiger’s iron finds the fairway. Spieth takes a hybrid and creams it down the middle. News meanwhile of the 2003 champion Jim Furyk, who is three under for his round today through 12, and is -1 overall.
As Justin Rose goes one way, his challengers move the other. Bogey for Chesson Hadley at 3; he slips back to -4. Aaron Wise makes a mess of 14, and he drops to -3. And public relations guru Matt Kuchar doubles 10, tumbling to -3 as well. Defending champ Brooks Koepka quietly parred 1 as Molinari was making yet another sensational save, incidentally, and remains at -2.
-8: Rose (9*)
-5: Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Hadley (12*), Piercy
-3: Wise (15), Stenson (12), Kuchar (10), Molinari (10*), Straka, Grillo, McIlroy, Woodland
Rose is of a mind to hole out from the bunker for eagle. We know this because he hollers BAH! as his flop squirts a little to the right and ends up three feet on the hole. Most players would be doing cartwheels after that. Birdie, and suddenly he’s got a three-shot lead at -8. Birdie for Spieth, too, as he dribbles a 60-footer from the back of the green to four feet, and tidies up. He’s played the back nine in 33 shots; he’s -2. Tiger has to settle for par, and he’s turning in 35. He’s -2. Meanwhile on 1, Molinari wedges from 100 yards to six feet, and that’s yet another up and down for par. This is getting daft now, which explains why he enjoys a bit of a giggle with Brooks Koepka’s caddie. He remains at -3.
So much for Molinari’s game-changing birdie. He misses yet another fairway, this time at 1, and is forced to take his medicine and hack out. He’ll have to get up and down from 100 yards. Koepka’s on the green in regulation, but not within realistic birdie distance. Back on 18, Spieth reaches the green in two, Tiger lays up and wedges to 20 feet, and Rose shoves his second into the bunker front right.
Molinari has a 55-footer for his eagle on 18 ... and overcooks it. The big left-to-right break is read correctly, but the pace is way off. He’s got a curly 12-footer coming back. And he guides it in! He’s back to -3. A deserved birdie after a fine drive and arrow-straight long iron ... and reward for all those successful par scrambles. Never give up, kids. Pars for Koepka (-2) and Hovland (E).
Rose’s tee shot at 17 dunks into the sand guarding the front of the green. He splashes out nicely to five feet, and makes yet another par save from the bunker. He’s -7. Spieth can’t get up and down from sand, and slips back to -1. It’s been a back-and-forth round for the 2015 champ. Par for Tiger, who stays -2.
Molinari only hit one of the first eight greens in regulation today. So of course he’s on the par-five 18th in two big blows. Of course he is. He and his caddie exchange wry smiles. Two putts, and he’ll be turning in level par for his round so far, which given the way he’s been spraying it around, would be something else. Count no chickens. Koepka meanwhile is in the bunker front right in two.
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An Byeong-hun only has one big win to his name: the 2015 British PGA at Wentworth in 2015. The 27-year-old from Seoul doesn’t have much to show for his efforts in the majors yet; no top-ten finishes. His best showing a tie for 23rd in this tournament at Oakmont in 2016. But he’s in the top ten of this one right now. Birdies at 1 and 7, and he’s -3. Meanwhile in the group behind, Andrew Putnam is the hottest player out there today. Birdies at 3, 5, 6 and now 7, and he’s four under for his round, -2 overall. Putnam hasn’t much of a major record either: his only previous US Open was a missed cut here in 2010. But he at least survived the cut on his next two major outings, at the last two PGAs. So the 30-year-old from Washington state appears to be slowly finding his feet in the big ones.
Bounceback birdie for Jordan Spieth at 16. He’s back to -2, the reward for a lovely approach to six feet. The leader Justin Rose dallied with three-putt failure, sending a long birdie effort trundling past the hole in the hot fashion. But he nailed the one coming back. He’s yet to three-putt this week. He remains two clear at -7.
How on earth is Molinari still at -2? He’s got a downhill lie in the bunker at 17, and very little green to play with. But he clips his ball out gorgeously, rolling it softly to a couple of feet. Another successful par scramble. I make that seven in the first nine holes. All hail the Italian’s refusal to buckle. This is some top-drawer US Opening! But Koepka three-putts from distance, dropping back to -2. He couldn’t get anywhere near the hole with his first putt, the knuckle of the bunker in his line, sending his ball off to the left at a vicious angle.
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Chesson Hadley’s increasingly preposterous round continues apace. Birdie at 18, and he’s played the back nine in 34 strokes. He’s two under for his round, having parred just two holes so far. A case study in golfing disorder. He’s back up to -5, in a tie for second. Back on 17, Molinari’s woes continue as he tugs his tee shot over the bunkers on the left, and is extremely fortunate that his ball takes a bounce off the tangled bank and back into the sand. Otherwise, he’d have been shortsided, in thick rough, on a downslope. As things stand, he’s just shortsided. He throws he tee away in disgust, channelling his hitherto unknown Inner Sergio. Koepka isn’t happy either, having sent his tee shot well right. He’s on the green, but facing a monster putt, and it’s not yet clear whether the knuckle of the bunker is poking across his line.
Watch out Michael Greller! His boss Jordan Spieth sends his second into 15 over the back and bounding into thick rough. Another misclub. He fluffs the chip coming back, and is left with a tricky, slippery eight footer. A quiet fume. But he rouses himself, takes a deep breath, and rolls in the par saver. He’s -1. Par for Tiger. He’s -2. And finally Justin Rose, who arrowed his second straight at the flag, leaving himself a six-footer for birdie. And it’s in! The English star has a two-shot lead ... though Matt Kuchar is on his tail, having added to his birdies at 1 and 4 with a third at 7. He’s joined the group in second place.
-7: Rose (6*)
-5: Kuchar (7), Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Wise (11), Hadley (8*), Piercy
-3: Reavie (9), Stenson (8), Koepka (7*), Straka, Grillo, McIlroy, Woodland
Chesson Hadley has only parred two holes so far today. His last four: birdie, double bogey, birdie, bogey. The latest slip comes at 17, where he’s unable to get down in two from the back left of the green. He drops to -4. Nobody’s scoring low this morning. So having just typed that, here’s Brooks Koepka making his first birdie of the day at 16. The defending champ rises to -3. His playing partner Francesco Molinari meanwhile does tap in for par, though again it wasn’t easy, as he’d sent his second into the greenside rough. A lovely chip close saved the day, and Molinari betrayed his feelings once again by blowing his cheeks out hard after the shot. He can’t keep going like this, surely.
Aaron Wise drops another, at 9, and the one-time co-leader turns in 37. He’s -4. On 14, both Tiger and Spieth fall back off the false front of the green with misjudged approaches. Two exquisite chips over a bunker to a tightly positioned flag, and the pair should save their pars. But only Tiger does, Spieth moving out of his stroke early, dropping back to -1. No such drama for Rose, who sent his third pin high to 12 feet. He’s so close to making his birdie, but the ball stops short on these slower-than-usual greens. Par.
Should we have been concerned? Molinari splashes out from the deep bunker he’d plonked himself in at 15, and rolls in the eight-foot putt he was left with. What an up and down! Again! He remains at -2. He needed that ... though what he really needs is a decent tee shot, followed by a stress-free tap-in for par. He’s got the first at 16. Let’s see how the rest of it goes.
Molinari is well off his game today. He started out today with three clutch par saves. Having since dropped a stroke, he’s wayward again off the tee at 15. From a fairway bunker down the left, he finds more sand near the green. On the Guardian’s patented Golfing-Inscrutability-o-meter™, Molinari’s average reading is definitely a lot closer to Jason Dufner than Tyrrell Hatton. But right now he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve, and a deep furrow on his brow. Maybe not yet stressed, but certainly concerned. He needs to fight through this, or his round is in danger of going south.
After that double on 15, a bounce-back birdie at 16 for Chesson Hadley. That shows moxie given he’s in uncharted waters in major-championship golf, accustomed to missing the cut whenever he tees it up in a big one. He’s -5 again. Meanwhile Nate Lashley is heading in the wrong direction again. Back-to-back bogeys at 8 and 9, and he’s -1.
An uncharacteristically chunky wedge by Brooks Koepka, coming into 14. He took up half of California’s real estate with that one. He’s short of the green, his ball snagged in extremely thick rough just over the brow of a bunker. The plus side: it’s not a long way to the flag. And he swishes delicately to a couple of feet. He’ll save his par. One of the chaps on US television has just described Koepka as a “lumberjack who can also whittle a piece of wood.” Golf as heritage craft. Not necessarily too far from the truth. Meanwhile it’s a third birdie in four holes for the irrepressible Jordan Spieth, who rattles in a putt from the fringe at 13. The 2015 champ is -2. He’s back, baby! He should bollock his caddie more often.
Chesson Hadley tumbles out of the lead after traversing the deep rough down the right of the par-four 15th. A double bogey and once again Justin Rose is our sole leader. Hadley joins Matt Kuchar at -4, everyone’s favourite cash and rules obsessive making his second birdie of the morning at 4.
-6: Rose (3*)
-5: Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Wise (8), Hadley (6*), Kuchar (4), Piercy
Tiger leaves a 25-foot birdie putt on 12 one dimple short. He stays at -2. He was the only player in the group to find the par-three with his tee shot, Rose forced to splash from the bunker to four feet. He’s made five out of five sand saves this week so far. And now it’s six out of six. He’s -6. Spieth meanwhile clips a delicate chip from thick greenside rubbish to a couple of feet, and he remains at -1.
A few spots of rain coming down. A little bit of spray from the bay. And on 13, Molinari is once again scrambling around to save his par, after hoicking his tee shot into deep oomska on the left. He’s forced to gouge out, then chip to ten feet. Yet another testing putt. But he can’t make it this time. A gentle right-to-left slider lips out, and he slips to -2. Meanwhile his partner Koepka races a wild birdie putt eight feet past, but makes the one coming back to hold on at -2. Bogey for Hovland, who tugs a six-footer to the left. He’s -1.
Birdie for Tiger at 11! Rich reward for a sensational second shot, pitched 15 feet behind the flag and spun back to eight feet in front. In goes the putt, and he’s -2. Spieth follows him in, and that’s back-to-back birdies at the start of his round. You wouldn’t rule out the three-time major winner mounting a charge today. And Rose hits a stunning flop shot from the thick rough at the back of the green to six feet, a phenomenal effort from where he’d found himself. In goes the putt, and he punches the air in steely determination. That’s a quite outrageous up and down. And he’s still got a share of the lead as a result.
-6: Hadley (5*), Rose (2*)
-5: Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Wise (7), Piercy
Updated
Chesson Hadley hits the front! His third birdie in his first five holes today, this time at 14, and he’s got a share with Justin Rose at -6. To think he’s missed the cut in six of his last seven starts this season. And there’s half a chance he could have sole ownership of it in a couple of minutes, because Rose found thick rough down the right of 11 from the tee, and could only gouge out his second over the back of the green. He’s in more tangled nonsense, with a bunker in his road to boot.
The 116-yard par-three 7th should be a doddle for these guys. Should be, but this is golf, isn’t it. Aaron Wise, who had just taken co-ownership of the lead at the US Open, hits his tee shot long. In the thick stuff, he fluffs his chip, and runs up a double-bogey five. What a game.
-6: Rose (1*)
-5: Hadley (4*), Fowmer, Schauffele, Oosthuizen
-4: Wise (7), Piercy
-3: Molinari (3*), Kuchar (2), Straka, Grillo, McIlroy, Woodland
Aaron Wise takes a share of the lead with his second birdie of the day, this time at the par-five 6th. He’s -6. Nate Lashley grabs a shot back at the short par-three 7th, wedging to six feet and making birdie; he’s back to -3. And at 12, Molinari bumps a chip up to five feet, then makes no mistake with his third par save in three holes. Pars for Koepka and Hovland.
Koepka and Hovland both send lovely irons into the difficult par-three 12th. They’ll have birdie putts from mid-range. Molinari’s yet to dial in his long game, though, and misses the green. It’s not the worst miss, front right in light rough, but for the third hole in a row he’ll be scrambling for his par. Rose takes two putts for par at 1. Spieth rolls in a 15-footer for birdie that takes him back to level par for the championship. But Tiger hits a tentative birdie putt, the ball always squeaking off to the right. Doubly poor show, on account of having seen Rose’s birdie effort (from a longer distance) dribble off to that side at the end. He stays at -1.
Rose, Spieth and Tiger are all on the 10th in regulation. Tiger’s approach in particular is worthy of comment, an iron bumped into the front of the green, using the left-to-right camber to guide his ball towards the cup. He’s pin high, six feet from the flag, and a fast start is on the cards.
Brooks Koepka passes up another good birdie opportunity, this time at 11. He’s got a straight putt up the green from 20 feet, but doesn’t quite hit the ball, the morning dew from the bay slowing things down early doors. Viktor Hovland makes a similar error and has to settle for a par as well. A rueful smile. Then it’s Frencesco Molinari’s turn. He makes his, though that’s another par save, required after flaying his drive into the thick stuff. Molinari as gritty and dogged as ever. The sort of determined play that could win a man a US Open title.
Back on 10, the second featured group of the morning tees it up. Jordan Spieth clatters his drive down the middle. No need to be giving out to his caddie Michael Greller for that one. Next up, the leader Justin Rose, who will be very happy with his big blooter down the track. And finally Tiger Woods, looking for his first US Open in 11 years. A battling 70 yesterday, and he starts his second round with a fine drive. It’s going to be a magical morning!
Popularity’s Matt Kuchar finished off his round of 69 yesterday by curling in a long birdie putt at 9. He’s built on that momentum with an opening birdie today at 1. He’s -3. Paul Casey birdies 11 to move to -2, after a 70 yesterday that only featured one blemish, an ugly double-bogey at 9. Casey’s been sniffing around the top of the major leader boards for a while now, with a tendency to score consistently well but ruin it with widescreen blowouts at single holes. If he can somehow figure a way to limit the damage when things start going wrong, that elusive maiden major may yet be his one day.
Another birdie for Chesson Hadley! He makes it at the par-three 12th, and he’s grabbed himself a share of second spot at -5. Alongside him, Aaron Wise, who wipes out the bogey at 2 with birdie at 5. Meanwhile two easy putts for Viktor Hovland from the back of 10; an opening par. Brooks Koepka shaves the cup with his birdie effort; par. And it’s a par ... that’ll feel like a birdie ... for Francesco Molinari, who rolls in his saver. What he’d have given for that when he was watching his drive topple off the fairway and down the cliff. He ambles off smiling. An early boost.
It’s overcast at Pebble Beach. Not too much in the way of wind, but it’s humid. The first featured group of the morning tees off at 10, the most difficult hole on the course yesterday. The Open champ Francesco Molinari is up first ... and his drive dribbles off the right-hand side of the fairway and down into the penalty area. The waves crashing in below. He’ll be forced to take a drop. His third in is quite something, and he’ll have a look at escaping with an improbable par from 15 feet. A miserable start to his round, especially as he only made one bogey yesterday on is way to a 68. The amateur and Pebble Beach specialist Viktor Hovland, who’ll be turning pro next week, splits the fairway and finds the green in regulation. He shot a lovely 69 yesterday, having zipped out of the blocks with four birdies in the first six holes. And the two-time reigning champion Brooks Koepka hits a perfect drive, then screeches a wedge to eight feet. The most difficult hole on the course!
Collin Morikawa turned professional last week. The 22-year-old from LA, a former world number-one amateur, teed it up at the Canadian Open, and finished in a tie for 14th place. He’s hit the ground running alright, and having shot a fine level-par 71 yesterday, is moving up the standings this morning. A couple of heat-seeking approaches, at 1 and now 4, have catapulted him to -2. A player worth keeping an eye on, by the evidence on show to date.
Chesson Hadley has done absolutely nothing in the majors to date. The 31-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina has previously competed in seven of them, surviving the cut only once, on his way to a tie for 61st at the 2017 PGA. But he’s going along nicely this time. Previously his best round at a US Open was a 75, shot at Shinnecock Hills last year. However yesterday he bested that by seven strokes, and he’s opened his round today in similarly impressive fashion, firing his second at 10 from 200 yards to ten feet, then knocking in the birdie putt. He’s -4 now, in a tie for fifth, uncharted waters ... and somewhat unexpected, seeing he’s missed the cut in six of the last seven tournaments he’s played. It’s all about peaking at the right time, huh.
Also heading the wrong way in a rather dispiriting manner is Nate Lashley. The 36-year-old from Nebraska made his US Open debut yesterday, shooting a marvellous 67. Good luck finding someone who doesn’t want him to keep it up, because any level of success here this week would tug on the heartstrings. Lashley’s been troubled with his knees, and only retains his Tour card due to a medical extension. Enough problems for anyone to battle. But there’s also a tragic backstory: back in 2004, he lost both parents and his girlfriend in a plane crash as they travelled home after watching him compete as a junior at the University of Arizona. After all he’s been through, it’d be a lovely bittersweet story if he could - first things first - at least make the cut on debut. But out early this morning, his driver let him down on the opening two holes; a couple of bogeys, and he slips back into a large pack of 13 players at -2. Plenty of time to arrest the slide though.
Good morning Carmel Bay! A new day’s only just begun, and already there’s been some movement at the top of the leader board. Some downward movement. Aaron Wise hadn’t made a bogey since his opening hole yesterday, the 10th, en route to a fine opening round of 66. But it’s not taken him long to ship another shot today. The 22-year-old former Tour Rookie of the Year has paid for an errant drive at 2. Do not drive into the rough at at US Open. It’s like Fight Club, only there’s just one rule. Wise slips to -4, now a couple off Justin Rose’s overnight lead.
Preamble
Preambles are so Thursday. We’ve got another long day ahead of us, so let’s get straight down to business.
-6: Rose
-5: Fowler, Schauffele, Oosthuizen, Wise
-4: Piercy, Lashley
-3: Straka, Grillo, McIlroy, Woodland, Reavie, Hadley, Stenson, Molinari
-2: Arnaus, Kaymer, Rahm, Leishman, DeChambeau, McDowll, Matsuyama, Garcia, Hovland -a-, Koepka, Kuchar, Fitzpatrick
... and here are today’s tee times (all BST). Starting on the first hole ...
2.45pm: Nathan Lashley, Renato Paratore (Ita), Lee Slattery (Eng)
2.56pm: Joel Dahmen, Collin Morikawa, Aaron Wise
3.07pm: Merrick Bremner (SA), Chip McDaniel, Cody Gribble
3.18pm: Michael Thorbjornsen a, Chez Reavie, David Toms
3.29pm: Rafa Cabrera Bello (Spa), Kevin Na, Keegan Bradley
3.40pm: Jim Furyk, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Brandt Snedeker
3.51pm: Luke List, Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Branden Grace (SA)
4.02pm: Webb Simpson, Adam Scott (Aus), Matt Kuchar
4.13pm: An Byeong-hun (Kor), a-Devon Bling, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng)
4.24pm: Justin Harding (SA), Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Andrew Putnam
4.35pm: Ollie Schniederjans, Mikumu Horikawa (Jpn), Anirban Lahiri (Ind)
4.46pm: Daniel Hillier a (NZ), Alex Prugh, Zac Blair
4.57pm: Hayden Shieh, Spencer Tibbits a, Connor Arendell
8.30pm: Luis Gagne a, Sepp Straka, Julian Etulain (Arg)
8.41pm: Dean Burmester (SA), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut), Lee Kyoung-hoon (Kor)
8.52pm: Clement Sordet (Fra), Tom Hoge, Adri Arnaus (Spa)
9.03pm: Brian Davis (Eng), Kevin O’Connell a, Billy Hurley III
9.14pm: Brendon Todd, Luke Donald (Eng), Mike Weir (Can)
9.25pm: Kyle Stanley, Billy Horschel, Danny Willett (Eng)
9.36pm: Jon Rahm (Spa), Marc Leishman (Aus),Rory McIlroy (NI)
9.47pm: Justin Thomas, Kevin Kisner, Bryson DeChambeau
9.58pm: Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell (NI)
10.09pm: Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
10.20pm: Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Patrick Reed, Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
10.31pm: Rob Oppenheim, Rhys Enoch (Wal), Richard Lee
10.42pm: Andy Pope, Ryan Sullivan, Matthew Naumec
... and starting at 10 ...
2.45pm: Rory Sabbatini (Svk) Sam Horsfield (Eng) Roberto Castro
2.56pm: Cameron Young a, Marcus Kinhult (Swe), Brian Stuard
3.07pm: Luke Guthrie, Joseph Bramlett, Charlie Danielson
3.18pm: Austin Eckroat a, Alexander Noren (Swe), Charles Howell
3.29pm: Thomas Pieters (Bel), Chesson Hadley, Stewart Hagestad a
3.40pm: Paul Casey (Eng), Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover
3.51pm: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha), Keith Mitchell, Shugo Imahira (Jpn)
4.02pm: Francesco Molinari (Ita), Viktor Hovland a (Nor), Brooks Koepka
4.13pm: Tony Finau, Jimmy Walker, Ian Poulter (Eng)
4.24pm: Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (Eng), Tiger Woods
4.35pm: Daniel Berger, Matthew Jones (Aus), Kodai Ichihara (Jpn)
4.46pm: Matthieu Pavon (Fra), Chandler Eaton a, Callum Tarren (Eng)
4.57pm: Eric Dietrich, Guillermo Pereira (Chi), Brett Drewitt (Aus)
8.30pm: Sam Saunders, Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Marcus Fraser (Aus)
8.41pm: Scott Piercy, Erik Van Rooyen (SA), Kevin Yu a (Tpe)
8.52pm: Ryan Fox (NZ), Thorbjorn Olesen (Den), Emiliano Grillo (Arg)
9.03pm: Scottie Scheffler, Matt Parziale a, Nick Taylor (Can)
9.14pm: Patton Kizzire, Jovan Rebula a (SA), Jason Dufner
9.25pm: Li Haotong (Chn), Bubba Watson, J.B Holmes
9.36pm: Zach Johnson, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Ernie Els (SA)
9.47pm: Kim Si-woo (Kor), Rickie Fowler, Jason Day (Aus)
9.58pm: Shane Lowry (Ire), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Gary Woodland
10.09pm: Cameron Smith (Aus), Matthew Wallace (Eng), Xander Schauffele
10.20pm: CT Pan (Tpr), Abraham Ancer (Mex), Brandon Wu a
10.31pm: Chan Kim, Justin Walters (SA), Harris English
10.42pm: Nick Hardy, Noah Norton a, Andreas Halvorsen (Nor)
It’s on!
