New: US Open Day 3 Leaderboard and Live Updates
European Ryder Cup hero Ludvig Aberg has carded a -1 second round to get to a -5 total to lead on his own at Pinehurst No.2.
Elsewhere Bryson DeChambeau is on -4 with Belgium's Thomas Detry and overnight leader Patrick Cantlay, whose second round 71 saw him drop a shot to slip back.
Matthieu Pavon finished bogey-bogey to end up on -3 which is the same score as Rory McIlroy.
Lower down the leaderboard Tiger Woods holed out on the 18th for par to finish with a +3 round of 73 after a 74 on Thursday. It leaves him on +7 with the cut set at +5 and Woods looked very dejected and down to be bowing out early.
Among the highlights was a hole in one on the last by Francesco Molinari to make the cut on the number. He revealed: "I actually just switched clubs from a 6iron to a 7iron. It looked on a great line but I couldn't believe it."
US Open Leaderboard:
- -5 Ludvig Aberg
- -4 Patrick Cantlay, Thomas Detry, Bryson DeChambeau
- -3 Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, Matthieu Pavon
- -2 Hideki Matsuyama
CUT LINE: +5
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Welcome to day two of the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No.2!
It's set to be a thriller...
MCILROY ON THE COURSE
McIlroy, wearing a white polo and cap today, is just waiting to get his 2nd round underway here on the 10th hole.
ANOTHER STUNNING MORNING AT PINEHURST
The star trio just waiting for the group ahead hitting into this par 5.
It's a 619 yard par 5 that McIlroy birdied yesterday. He'l be hoping for the same this morning.
MCILROY FINDS THE FAIRWAY
Pipes it straight down the middle, 319 yards. Xander Schauffele also his a beauty down the middle and Scottie Scheffler makes it 3/3.
BRYSON UNDERWAY
DeChambeau off the 1st and he finds the fairway with a long iron, 221 yards straight down the middle.
Viktor Hovland, who shot a surprising 78 (+8) yesterday also finds the fairway with a long iron, while Max Homa does the same.
1st PLAYING TOUGH
The first 12 players this morning are nine-over for the 1st! Wow.
PLAY QUITE SLOW ALREADY
McIlroy' is only just hitting his 2nd shot into the par 5 10th after teeing off 15 minutes ago. Quite a backlog waiting for the green to clear.
MCILROY 2ND SHOT INTO 10
With 3-wood from 306 yards...it's a lovely shot but around 20 yards short of the green in the fairway.
Schauffele from six yards closer pushes one miles right, even missing the wire grass and heading into the crowd. May have been a mud ball.
DRIVING DISTANCE STATS FROM R1:
- 1. Gordon Sargent (a) - 346.9 yards
- 2. Luke Clanton (a) - 336.7 yards
- 3. Chris Naegel - 336.2 yards
- 3. Joey Vrzich - 336.2 yards
- 5. Bryson DeChambeau - 336.1 yards
- 6. Parker Bell (a) - 334.9 yards
- 7. Charlie Reiter - 333.9 yards
- 8. Cameron Young - 332.8 yards
- 9. Jake Knapp - 330.9 yards
- 10. Byeong Hun An - 330.4 yards
SCHAUFFELE STRUGGLING, MCILROY BIRDIE LOOK AT 10
Xander finds his ball in the pine straw and wedges it long, left of the green. Will be a good par if he manages to get it up-and-down.
McIlroy flights a pitch in to the back-left pin and comes up around 12ft short.
Hovland has also stuffed it into the 1st for a tap-in birdie, while Bryson DeChambeau pars the 1st.
MCILROY BIRDIE PUTT SLIDES BY
It just misses left so it's a par to start the day at the 10th.
Schauffele misses his par effort from 10ft.
HOT START FOR HOVLAND
After a disappointing eight-over-par (78) first round, Viktor Hovland is hot out of the blocks on Friday with the current FedEx Cup champion almost holing his approach at the first! He will likely need to shoot an under-par round to make the cut, but he will be confident following that start.
121 yards ➡️ 9 inchesA near eagle hole-out for Viktor Hovland! pic.twitter.com/2LgTfkqMUDJune 14, 2024
POOR APPROACHES INTO 11
Schauffele is unlucky off the tee at the 11th, with his drive only just rolling into the waste area and into a horrid lie. He can only advance it 40-yards or so down the fairway, whilst Scheffler's approach finishes just off the green, but pin-high. The final player to hit is McIlroy, who has a great angle, but his pulled wedge shot finishes well away from the flag and in between two greenside bunkers.
DEFENDING CHAMPION STARTS WITH A BIRDIE
Wyndham Clark fired a three-over-par 73 on Thursday, but has opened with a birdie at the par 5 10th on Friday. He is two-over for the tournament and grouped alongside Brian Harman and Nick Dunlap, who have both started with pars.
BOGEYS FOR XANDER AND McILROY
Despite firing a decent wedge to 15-feet at the 11th, Schauffele misses the par putt and has started with back-to-back bogeys to sit two-over for the tournament. He is joined by Rory, who makes a very poor bogey having been in the middle of the fairway with his tee shot. He drops back to four-under and out of a share of the lead with Cantlay, with Scheffler calmly making par following an easy two-putt.
FLEETWOOD BIRDIES THE THIRD
After bogeying the second, Tommy Fleetwood has responded excellently with a birdie at the third. He is level-par for his tournament and alongside a number of players.
Elsewhere, Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and Tyrrell Hatton (-1) have made early bogeys to sit one-over for the day, with McIlroy, Schauffele and Scheffler all finding the fairway at the par 4 12th.
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT
There's no denying that Scheffler has struggled through the first 20 holes at the US Open, but the World No.1 produces an excellent approach at the 12th to set up a birdie chance from 15-feet. In McIlroy's world, his second shot finds the green, whilst Schauffele misses the putting surface and is faced with a 35-foot putt from the fringe.
KAYMER OPENS WITH A BIRDIE
The German famously won at PinEhurst No.2 in 2014 by eight strokes and, at the par 5 10th, his first hole of the day, he holes a lengthy birdie putt to move to one-under for the tournament.
PARS ON THE 12TH
Scheffler can't make the most of his excellent approach, with his birdie attempt sliding by the right-side. He taps-in for par, whilst McIlroy and Schauffele follow the American IN with fours. They both remain at four-under and two-over for the tournament.
FLEETWOOD HITS THE PIN AT FOUR
After laying up from the sand at the par 4 fourth, Fleetwood strikes the flag with his third shot from 60-yards. He will have an 11-footer for par and to stay at level.
Away from the Englishman, McIlroy has found the middle of the fairway at the 13th, off the tee he is looking very assured, whilst both Scheffler and Schauffele block their tee shots right, with it unclear as to how their golf balls are lying...
PINEHURST BITES BACK
After opening his second round with two pars, Sepp Straka hits the flag at the par 4 third and ends up making a costly triple bogey! He is now three-over for the tournament and in a share of 64th.
Now THAT is a tough break 😔 pic.twitter.com/qQAFchfHeoJune 14, 2024
SCHAUFFELE BIRDIES 13
McIlroy and Scheffler both par the 13th, whilst Schauffele produces an incredible approach that finishes five-feet from the flag. He holes the birdie putt and moves to one-over for the tournament, six back of his good friend, Patrick Cantlay
No fairway, no problem for the X Man as he sets himself up for a birdie on No. 13. pic.twitter.com/OPPGH8jVYLJune 14, 2024
EARLY SCORING
It's not a surprise to see scoring low on Friday at the US Open. However, for those wondering, the best round, currently on the course, comes from Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who is two-under for the day following birdies at the 13th and 15th.
BIG NAMES FIRING
Beautiful approaches on the 14th from Scheffler, Schauffele and McIlroy, who all stick their wedge shots to inside 10-feet at the par 4. All three will have excellent chances at birdie.
SCHAUFFELE MAKES BACK-TO-BACK BIRDIES
After firing excellent approach shots, Scheffler and McIlroy miss their birdie attempts whilst Schauffele converts. That's two birdies in a row and he is now level-par, just five back off the lead...
EASY BIRDIE FOR HATTON
The Englishman almost holes his lengthy eagle attempt at the par 5 fifth, but a tap-in birdie moves Hatton back to level-par for the day and two-under for the tournament. He is now in a share of fifth.
NO WORDS...
Finding the hardpan with his tee shot at the par 5 fifth, Max Homa attempts to play his second shot out the thick stuff with a fairway wood... We don't get it either! Inevitably, he tops it a few yards in front of him and will struggle to make par.
On the other side of the course, McIlroy and Scheffler come up short at the par 3 15th, with their chip shots still leaving difficult par putts. Schauffele, meanwhile, has put another laser-like approach to 10-foot and will have a great chance at a third straight birdie.
FRUSTRATION FROM SCHEFFLER
His par putt looks in all the way but, right at the end, Scheffler's attempt dives left as a bogey moves him to two-over for the tournament. It's now Schauffele's turn to go, but his left-to-right breaking putt comes up short as he taps-in for par to stay at level-par for the event. The last player up at the 15th is McIlroy who, after watching Xander's putt, misses the hole to the left. He is now two-over for the day and three-under for the tournament.
RELATABLE FROM MAX...
The rare aggressive club choice out of the wiregrass attempt...It didn't go well 😬 pic.twitter.com/mAs1O6UB6bJune 14, 2024
KAYMER MOVES TO TWO-UNDER
Excellent round developing for Martin Kaymer, who birdies the 13th to move to two-under and into a share of fifth.
McILROY, SCHEFFLER AND SCHAUFFELE PAR 16
All three men safely par the 531-yard par 16th, as McIlroy sits at three-under, Scheffler at two-over and Schauffele at level-par.
Behind this group, Wyndham Clark, who is four-over for the tournament, puts his tee shot close on the par 3 15th, whilst Bryson DeChambeau birdies the par 3 sixth to move back to even-par for the day and three-under for the tournament.
HATTON WITHIN TWO SHOTS
Two birdies in the last three holes has moved Hatton to three-under and now two back of Cantlay. Yesterday, the LIV Golfer stated: "I guess in some ways, with it being harder, a lot of guys sort of losing their head, it sort of brings them to my level because I just lose my head every week. They can kind of experience what it's like in my head for a week".
He's certainly making the most of it at Pinehurst...!
ANOTHER PLAYER MOVES TO THREE-UNDER
After DeChambeau and Hatton move to three-under, they are joined by Belguim's Thomas Detry, who has birdied the 11th and 12th, his second and third holes of the day, to get to within two strokes of leader, Cantlay.
THAT'S THE PAR OF THE WEEK FROM RORY
Wow... After finding the putting surface at the par 3 17th, McIlroy hits his putt off the front of the green! It seems destined that a third bogey of the round will follow, but the former US Open winner chips in for a par that will feel like a birdie!
Staying at three-under, Schauffele makes par and stays at level, whilst Scheffler misses his par attempt and taps-in for bogey. The World No.1 is three-over for the round and will need to pull his finger out on the final nine holes.
Classic one-putt by Rory. 😂 pic.twitter.com/QszrIci7DeJune 14, 2024
BOGEYS FOR DeCHAMBEAU AND FLEETWOOD
Bryson's putt at the par 4 seventh misses on the left side, with the big-hitting American (-2) giving away the birdie he just made at the sixth. Ahead at the eighth, Fleetwood pulls his approach left of the green and his chip comes back to his feet. To be fair to the Englishman, he very nearly holes his next shot and does well to make bogey as he goes to two-over.
DETRY TO WITHIN ONE OF THE LEAD
What a round Thomas Detry is putting on here, with the 31-year-old now three-under through four holes and moving within one shot of the lead at Pinehurst. Finding the fairway at the 13th, his approach from 150-yards goes to 15-feet, with the birdie putt never leaving the hole. To add further, he has hit the fairway at the 14th and will have a similar yardage left in.
HEADLINE GROUP SCORES
McIlroy - 37 (+2)
Schauffele - 34 (-1)
Scheffler - 37 (+2)
It's PGA Championship winner, Schauffele, who has started the brightest of the trio, with the American carding a one-under front (tee'd off on the back) to sit at one-under for the tournament. McIlroy and Scheffler sit at two-over for the round and three-under and three-over for the US Open. Big nine holes coming up for the threesome.
DOUBLE FOR VIKTOR
After firing a birdie at his first hole, it seems that Hovland won't be featuring at the weekend as he has double bogeyed the par 4 eighth to move to nine-over-par. It will be his second missed cut at the US Open in three starts.
BIG PAR FROM BRYSON
DeChambeau makes an excellent up-and-down at the par 4 eighth, with the American draining a 15-footer for par to stay at two-under.
At the first hole, their 10th, McIlroy and Scheffler fire excellent approaches to around 11-feet, with Schauffele seemingly doing the same thing after a birdie on the previous hole. However, his second grips too much and slides off the front of the green. That sums up US Open golf, it really is a game of inches!
McILROY AND SCHEFFLER CAN'T CONVERT
Both McIlroy and Scheffler produce very weak attempts at birdie, with both men tapping-in for par. As for Schauffele, he puts his chip close and rolls in his par putt to stay at one-under for the day and tournament.
BOGEY FOR DETRY
Finding the fairway at the 14th, Detry pushes his second shot right and chunks his chip shot. All-in-all, it is a good bogey for the Belgian, who gets up-and-down and moves back to three-under and two back of the lead.
BIRDIE FOR BRYSON
That tee shot deserved a birdie! At the par 3 ninth, the LIV Golfer puts his 195-yard iron to five-feet, with the American rolling in the putt for a birdie and level-par front nine. He is now three-under for the tournament.
PENDRITH AND CAPAN III MOVE TO TWO-UNDER FOR THE DAY
Taylor Pendrith and Frankie Capan III are enjoying themselves out there in North Carolina, with both men two-under for their second rounds.
Pendrith has found birdies at the 11th and 14th, whilst Capan III has birdied the third and fifth to get to one-under and into the top 10.
STRAKA HOLE-IN-ONE
Get in there! Sepp Straka recovers from an early triple bogey to make the first hole-in-one of the 2024 US Open! Playing the par 3 ninth, his shot lands on the green and rolls into the cup like a putt. What a moment for the Austrian star!
XANDER ON A CHARGE
This is very impressive from Xander Schauffele, who makes a fourth birdie in eight holes. Putting his approach to within 14-feet on the par 4 second, he rolls in the putt to move to two-under-par and just three back...
STRAKA ACE
Ace alert! 🙌No issue with the flagstick this time for @seppstraka. 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/8pySzBFphaJune 14, 2024
Straka makes the 52nd hole-in-one at the US Open and just the third at Pinehurst No.2. Previously, Zach Johnson and Peter Jacobsen had only managed the feat in North Carolina. Straka makes his second ace of 2024, following a hole-in-one at the 12th hole during a practice round at the Masters.
BOGEY FOR BRYSON
After his heroics at the eighth and ninth, the big-hitting American can't take advantage of his length at the par 5 10th, as a bogey drops him back to two-under for the tournament and one-over for the round.
XANDER'S CHARGE CONTINUES
This really is excellent from Schauffele! After a birdie at the second, the American birdies the par 4 third to move to three-under for the day and round. That's five-under through his last nine holes and now into a share of fourth.
Along with Schauffele, McIlroy birdies the third to jump to four-under and one back of Cantlay, with the four-time Major winner scrapping well at Pinehurst No.2.
STAR TRIO FIND THE FAIRWAY
As I bid you farewell, McIlroy, Scheffler and Xander all find the fairway at the fourth and will have a good chance of finding the green with their approaches on what has been the second hardest hole of the day so far.
HATTON BIRDIES 12, BIG THREE PAR 13
Hatton rolls in a lovely birdie putt on 12, it never left the centre of the hole from around 18ft.
Meanwhile, the big three all make pars on 13, with McIlroy almost holing his birdie putt from the guts of 40ft.
TAYLOR PENDRITH POSTS STELLAR FRONT 9
Pendrith posts a three under par 32 on his opening nine after rolling a birdie putt on 18. He moves to -2.
HATTON ALMOST JARS IT ON 13, ENDS UP IN THE BUNKER
Wow. With wedge in hand from the middle of the 13th fairway, Hatton almost slam dunks his approach. It hits the side of the hole, then the flag, before spinning back off the the front of the green into the greenside bunker.
Welcome to Pinehurst, Tyrell.
DECHAMBEAU BIRDIES 12, MOVES TO -3
What a putt by Bryson on 13. From around 20ft, DeChambeau finds the centre of the cup to bounce back from his bogey on 10.
He fist pumps as the ball drops and the crowd cheers from the grandstand behind the green.
HATTON BOGEYS 13, DROPS TO -2
After holing his approach, Hatton cannot get up-and-down from the front bunker after missing an 8 foot par putt.
Meanwhile, Taylor Pendrith (the hottest man of the golf course) sticks one inside 10 feet on the first, his 10th, as he looks to move to -3.
PENDRITH AND DECHAMBEAU BOTH BIRDIE
He's on fire!
The 10-footer on the first was never going to miss. He moves into the top five at -3, he's -4 through ten holes!
Over at 13, Dechambeau rolls in another birdie from over 20 feet to card back-to-back birdies and move to -4.
CHAOS ON THE 5TH AS SCHAUFFELE AND SCHEFFLER DOUBLE BOGEY, MCILROY MAKES CLUTCH PAR
The Scottie-Xander-Rory group is having a rough go from the native area on 5. 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/eU7WUEUpkWJune 14, 2024
That was chaotic.
All members of the three-ball miss the green on the Par 5 7th left and end up short-sided in the waste area. Scheffler goes long, Schauffele's chip ends up back at his feet, and McIlroy puts it to 30 feet.
McIlroy is the only one to save par after holing an important 10 footer as his American playing partners both drop two shots with missed putts.
THOMAS DETRY ON FIRE, MISSES PUTT FOR CO-LEAD
As evening approaches in Brussels, @tomdetry notches another birdie to climb to within one of the lead. 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/cGEaDMo1jBJune 14, 2024
After a bridie on the first to move to -4 and tie for 2nd place, Detry has a 25 footer on the 2nd for the co-lead but it slides low and left of the hole.
DECHAMBEAU BOGEYS 15, DROPS TO -3
The hot putter lets Bryson down on the 15th as he misses a 10ft putt for par on the par 3.
THOMAS DETRY TIES THE LEAD!
Take me to your (co) leader!@tomdetry 🇧🇪 is sizzling at Pinehurst. pic.twitter.com/WwSaELmzh7June 14, 2024
The Belgian is in full flow on Friday at Pinehurst!
Detry rolls in a 15ft birdie putt on the 3rd to move to -5, level with Patrick Cantlay at the top of the leaderboard!
ICYMI: HATTON'S NEAR SLAM DUNK
'Golf is a game of inches' is a cliche, but for the reason.
Here is Hatton nearly holing his approach shot before spinning back into the bunker and making bogey for those that missed it...
SCHEFFLER BATTLING TO MAKE THE WEEKEND
Who would have thought it?
Scottie Scheffler finds the 17th green in regulation, albeit over 50 feet from the hole.
He is in real trouble of missing the cut at the US Open, and will need favours from the afternoon starters in the field.
The cut currently sits at +3, but will no doubt move closer to his current score of +5 as the day moves along.
BAD TEE SHOT ON 9 GIVES MCILORY A PLUGGED LIE IN FRONT BUNKER
Rory will want that one back...
McIlroy misses short at the par 3 9th short in the front bunker, and it looks like he's plugged. He'll have his work cut out to make three and post a +1 round of 71.
Scheffler makes the same mistake as he battles to make the cut, while Schauffele finds the green. He'll have a 25ft putt to move to -2.
MCILORY BOGEYS HIS FINAL HOLE AS THE BIG THREE FINISH THEIR ROUNDS
71-74 for the World No. 1.Now it’s a waiting game to see where the cut ends up. pic.twitter.com/ci6dfdwSsoJune 14, 2024
A streak of 168 rounds with a birdie comes to an end for Scheffler as he fails to hole out from the front bunker on the 9th. His bunker shot is a fantastic one and he taps in for par to post a very un-Scheffler-like 74 to end the day at +5.
McIlroy's bunker shots falls to 12ft, but he fails to roll in the par putt as he posts a second round 72 to sit at -3.
Schauffele misses his long-range birdie putt but makes a comfy par to post 69, finishing the day at -1 which is good enough for T10.
DECHAMBEAU BIRDIES HIS FINAL HOLE TO MOVE TO -4
Dechambeau finishes his day in the best possible fashion, stitching his approach shot on 18 to around 3 feet.
He taps in to post 69, as he sits T2.
Another stellar day for the 2020 US Open champ.
THOMAS DETRY TAKES THE SOLO LEAD!
How about this performance from Thomas Detry!
He taps in the easiest of birdie putts on the 5th hole to become the first player to reach -6 this week.
He's a stunning -5 for the day with four holes remaining!
TIGER WOODS GETS HIS SECOND ROUND UNDERWAY
Three tee shots, three fairways found.Watch Tiger Woods, Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick's entire round as part of our Featured Groups Live Stream presented by @AmericanExpress.Watch: https://t.co/JJ7Guy3ZHI pic.twitter.com/oS53EkqcTKJune 14, 2024
Here comes the cat.
Tiger gets his second round underway as all three of his three-ball safely find the first fairway.
CANTLAY PARS HIS OPENING HOLE AS DETRY BOGEYS THE 6TH TO DROP BACK TO -5
Patrick Cantlay makes the easiest of pars on his opening hole as Detry bogeys the par 3 6th hole. The two are now tied once again at -5.
Cantlay's playing partner, Russell Henley, makes the ideal start to his second round as he rolls in a 15ft birdie putt on the 1st.
MATSUYAMA MAKES HISTORY
Have a day, Hideki! 🇯🇵Matsuyama with the 8th bogey-free round in U.S. Open history at Pinehurst No. 2. pic.twitter.com/XRIaLrAJe4June 14, 2024
A horrible horseshoe for Hideki on his final hole, but Matsuyama posts just the 8th bogey-free round in US Open history at Pinehurst No.2, posting 66 on day two.
He sits at -2, currently good enough for T7.
DETRY REMAINS AT -5 AFTER IMPORTANT PAR PUTT ON 15
Detry survives a tester on the 15th, rolling home a 10 foot par putt to avoid posting back-to-back birdies on the 6th and 7th holes.
He remains -5, tied with Patrick Cantlay, who has safely found the 2nd green with an outside shout for birdie.
WOODS SAVE PAR ON HIS OPENING HOLE
Early-round par saves can be your best friend in the U.S. Open. pic.twitter.com/rswuCLq9T6June 14, 2024
It could get late early for Woods if he doesn't hole putts like these today, but he passes his first test.
Tiger rolls in an important par putt on the first to remain +4.
DECHAMBEAU CHATS TO THE MEDIA AFTER HIS SECOND ROUND 69
Early-round par saves can be your best friend in the U.S. Open. pic.twitter.com/rswuCLq9T6June 14, 2024
Bryson has made his way to the media tent after his one-under-par round of 69 has him sitting pretty at -4.
Have some players already played themselves out of contention?
With birdies traditionally hard to come by at a US Open set up, the ability to charge up a leaderboard and make up lost ground is curtailed. As Rory McIlroy put it yesterday: “This tournament is not about how many birdies you make but how many bogeys you don’t make.”
All the winners of the three US Opens held at Pinehurst were within four shots of the lead after the first round. Twenty-three of the US Open winners during the past 25 years have been within five shots.
Pinehurst tends to bare it teeth later on. In the three previous U.S. Opens held here, 10 percent of the field achieved a round in the 60s in their opening round. But in rounds 3 and 4 only five per cent did. So far this US Open has gone to script for round one – 15 of the 156 golfers carded a score in the 60s.
Change of co-leaders
Detry three putts on 8 (his 17th hole of round) for a bogey, and so drops out of the joint lead. Aberg is now joint leader with Cantlay after he birdies the 2nd,
Detry cards a second round 67
He joins Bryson DeChambeau in the clubhouse on 4 under, a shot off the on course leaders. The 31-year-old Belgian has yet to win on tour. The nearest he has come was when he lost a three-way playoff for the Scottish Open in 2021. He did however come T4 in the last Major, the PGA Championship.
Huge roars as Tiger birdies 4th hole
He has started par, par, par, birdie. He started well yesterday, too, before he fell away.
Pavon birdies his first hole
He started on the 10th, which is one of the friendliest on the course, ranking 15 .
They were here in the beginning
The first US Open to be held at Pinehurst No 2 was a quarter of a century ago. Two men from that US Open are competing this week – the runner up and the man who tied with Vijay Singh for third place. Do you know who they are? Answer in five minutes or so.
The answers are...
Phil Mickelson was runner up in 1999 at Pinehurst No2 and it was Tiger Woods who tied with Vijay Singh for third.
Three joint leaders now
Pavlon is up with those at the top of the leaderboard having started birdie, birdie.
Sergio Garcia is in the red
In more ways than one, he is -1 and tied 8th, He is also wearing a splendid pair of bright red trews. I hoping to get a picture soon, to post on here.
The cut line
The low 60 scorers and ties advance to the weekend of a US Open. The PGA Championship and the Open Championship has the same field sizes as the US Open – 156 – but in each of these tournaments it is the low 70 scorers and ties who make the cut. The Masters, which has a much smaller field, imposes the cut at low 50 and ties.
Rory on the particular challenges of Pinehurst No 2
The Northern Irishman has been speaking tio the media: "It just requires a lot more thought. Even though I hit a great drive up the 8th hole, I had 151 adjusted to the hole. I’m trying to land it 146. I can’t land it 144 because it’s not going to get up there. I can’t land it 148 because it’s going to go over the back of the green. You just need to have a lot of precision. I feel like for the most part I’ve done that well this week.”
McIlroy is -3 at halfway, and lies 6th.
Going lower
Now that is a BUMP and run! Well played, @justinlower_1. pic.twitter.com/bZhYlHaCa2June 14, 2024
Who is the only golfer playing who didn’t actually qualify for the event?
Answer in five minutes or so.
So, who is the only golfer playing today who didn’t actually qualify for the event?
It’s Tiger Woods. He is playing on a special exemption.
There are 22 categories of ways you can qualify; category 23 offer entry ‘by special exemption’
The Masters and the PGA Championship grants its past winners lifetime qualification. The Open limits past winners exemption by age. From this year, all new Open Championship winners will only be exempt from the other ways of qualifying until they are 55 years old. But existing past champions will continue to hold their exemption until they are 60.
But the US Open only grants its past 10 winners exemption from qualification, and winners of the past five editions of the each of the other Majors.
Tiger last won the US Open in 2008 and last won a Major at the 2019 Masters. So none of his 15 Major titles now qualify him to play in the US Open. Nor do any of his nine USGA championship wins. Tiger has won three US Opens (2000, 2002 and 2008), three U.S. Junior Amateur Championships (1991-1993) and three U.S. Amateur Championships (1994-1996).
The first player to receive a special exemption was a 53-year old Ben Hogan in 1966. He finished tied 12th. An exemption was not used again until 1977, when Sam Snead, Tommy Bolt and Julius Boros all received one. All three missed the cut.
The person who has received the most special exemptions is Jack Nicklaus. Seven times he played using one, between 1991 and 2000. Only on his last two occasions did he miss the cut, although his best finish during this run was a T27. Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson have both played in the US Open five times on a special exemption.
The last player to play in a US Open on a special exemption before Tiger was Ernie Els, in 2019. (Phil Mickelson had been awarded one in 2021, but subsequently went on to qualify through winning that year’s PGA Championship.)
The most significant was the special exemption that went to Hale Irwin in 1990. Irwin had won the US Opens of 1974 and 1979, but had not won on the PGA Tour in five years. He went into the final round tied in 20th place. When he holed a 45ft putt on the 72nd hole, he ran round the green high-fiving members of the crowd. He had also carded a final round 67, which got him into an 18-hole playoff on the Monday against Mike Donald. Donald had a chance to win this playoff on the 18th hole, with a 15ft par putt. It slid by. The playoff was tied. The rules had been changed, and ties in the playoff no longer, as had happened in 1946, went to another 18 holes. Now they went to sudden death.
A birdie on the first hole of sudden death won the title for Irwin. At 45 years and 15 days, he had become the oldest winner of the U.S. Open. It was the 21st time that someone had played in the US Open on a special exemption and only the second time that a recipient of it had made the top 10 – Lee Trevino, tied 9th in 1984 had been the other. Three men subsequently have done it – Tom Watson (T5, 1993), Nick Faldo (T5, 2002) and Nick Price (T9, at Pinehurst in 2005).
Was this ball controlled by sat nav?
I swear it went past the hole then realised it had missed its turning.
Is it gonna do it?! YES IT IS!!Incredible birdie from @SRTheegala! pic.twitter.com/4U3HkFJxYTJune 14, 2024
Phil will soon have had had his fill
Mickelson has just finished his first nine. He is +10 so won't be back for the weekend, The US Open remains the one Major he has not snaffled. He was second in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Cantlay double bogeys 8th hole
His ball landed on the green three times from a greenside chip, First time it rolled across the green and off the other side; second time it rolled back to him. Third time it stayed on the putting surface, Aberg now solo leader and two shots clear.
Aberg bogeys 8
His lead is now one shot, as he is back to 5 under. Four players on are on -4, two of whom are in the clubhouse, Could this pair be leading at the end of the day?
Seventy-two holes for Sergio Garcia?
Looks like it will be so. Sergio Garcia, who squeaked in as an alternate through Final Qualifying, is playing his 25th consecutive US Open. If he makes the cut today, that will be for the 20th time. In his last 22 Majors he has missed the cut 15 times. He is -1 with eight holes to go, and in T10. I haven't forgotten about that picture of his trousers, but Getty haven't obliged, If all else fails, I have found a video,
How are the LIV golfers faring?
Bryson DeChambeau - T2
Tyrrell Hatton – T10
Brooks Koepka - T18
Sergio Garcia – T25
Cameron Smith - T32
Martin Kaymer - T45
David Puig - T59
Dean Burmester - T72
Adrian Meronk - T107
Eugenio Chacarra – T107
Dustin Johnson - T129
Phil Mickelson - T144
Sorry, no picture, so here is that video
Sadly you cannot see the colour matched shoelaces in the video, which is a lovely style choice by the Spaniard.
The only good thing about a lip-out eagle is the tap-in birdie that follows it.@TheSergioGarcia quickly moves to -2. pic.twitter.com/2YWtUpfrmCJune 14, 2024
The Tiger conundrum
He has explained that: “I just haven’t been able to play as much because I just don’t want to hurt myself, then I won’t be able to play in the Major championships.”
“It’s pick your poison, right?" he admits "Play a lot with the potential of not playing, or not playing and fight being not as sharp.”
His last seven Majors have involved two withdrawals during the tournament, three missed cuts, and a 47th- and a 60th-placed finish.
The projected cut line is currently +5, and Tiger is on +5 with seven holes to play. He has one birdie and two bogeys so far today.
Where to look for the future winner at halfway
All of the last 16 Major winners, and 26 of the last 28 US Open winners, were within three shots of the lead after the second round.
CO-LEADER CANTLAY SET TO DROP A SHOT AT THE 12TH
Fresh from making a birdie at the 11th, Cantlay looks set to drop at least one straight away at the par 4 12th having missed the green on the right in the native area. He then failed to reach the green with his third shot using a rescue club to bump the ball forward. He duly chipped up close and made a bogey.
Pinehurst precision 🎯@Patrick_Cantlay regains a share of the lead @USOpenGolf.pic.twitter.com/fmlVjRaAV7June 14, 2024
WOODS BATTLING HARD TO TRY AND MAKE THE WEEKEND
The projected cut is +5 and with Tiger at +6 after 12 holes, the American had a short birdie putt on the 13th from seven foot but his effort slid just by to groans and he remains outside the cut.
DeChambeau reflects on his -1 round to get to -4
DeChambeau, who has a tribute to Payne Stewart on his bag, said: "You have to have a great wedge game and control your speed. You have to be a magician with a wedge here." DeChambeau was live on air at the time Aberg just rolled in another birdie on the 12th and he seemed to rue the Swede moving another shot ahead of him!
Ludvig Åberg remains unphased.Another birdie gives him the solo lead @USOpenGolf.pic.twitter.com/qFhSK2SNpLJune 14, 2024
CANTLAY NOT GOING AWAY AFTER A BOUNCE BACK BIRDIE
Cantlay is pushing Aberg after bouncing back from his bogey at the 12th with a fine birdie on the short par 4 13th where he has just rolled in a 19-foot putt to return to -5 - a shot behind Aberg.
WOODS GIVE HIMSELF ANOTHER BIRDIE LOOK ON THE 15TH
Tiger currently needs a birdie to make the cut and has gone close the last two holes. He has now hit another decent shot into the 172-yard par 3 15th to leave a 15-footer for birdie which agonisingly lips out with just three holes left. Ouch. No such problem for Tom McKibbin though who has birdied the last to get to -5 and make the weekend.
Aberg with a chance to extend his lead again on the 14th
Aberg has just hit his drive on the 14th a remarkable 371 yards. He now has a wedge left at the par 4 which is 472 yards but he walks off the green with only a par.
Sahith Theegala turns the tables today
Sahith Theegala had a nightmare first round which ended +7 but he is -5 today and +2 in total after hitting form today in his 13 holes so far.
WOODS FACING EARLY EXIT AT PINEHURST
After missing three successive birdie putts on 13,14 and 15, Tiger Woods has now dropped a shot on the 16th to slip to +7 after rolling through the green and three putting from off the green. Woods now needs to birdie the last two holes to make the cut and is in the sand at the par 3 17th.
FORMER CHAMPION BROOKS KOEPKA ANOTHER FIGHTING TO MAKE WEEKEND
Brooks Koepka , who won the US Open back to back in 2017 and 2018, is another big name battling to make the weekend. His woes included a triple bogey seven on the par four third where he three-putted from inside three feet.
It's a frustrating game 🥲Brooks Koepka three-putted from three feet 😅 pic.twitter.com/cTF2IBkadHJune 14, 2024
THREE HOLES LEFT FOR leader ABERG
Aberg came runner up on his Major debut earlier this year at the Masters and he is looking composed out in front here. He found the fairway at the 16th with a 326-yard drive but has put his second over the back of the green into the sand. He has since splashed out to leave nine-feet for par which he misses.
WOODS LEFT TO RUE MISSED BIRDIE PUTTS AS BOWS OUT
Woods has got up and down at the last for par to finish with a +3 round of 73 after a 74 yesterday. It leaves him on +7 with the cut expected at +5 and he looks very dejected and down to be bowing out early.
WHAT A FINISH FROM Francesco Molinari
The Italian was +7 on the last hole facing an early exit. But he promptly aced the par 3 ninth, having started on the 10th, with a hole-in-one from 194 yards which pitched and curled into the hole. It is the second ace there today after Sepp Straka also did the same. That got Molinari to +5 which is the expected cut.
A HOLE-IN-ONE TO MAKE THE CUT?! @F_Molinari moves onto the projected cutline after an ace on his final hole of the day!pic.twitter.com/uViPTL2mWsJune 14, 2024
CANTLAY PUTTS OUT AT THE LAST
Patrick Cantlay has holed out at the last for a par 4 to finish +1 today and -4 in total after dropping a late shot at the 16th. He said: "I will go to the range to practise a bit and get some good feels for the weekend but my game is in good shape."
WOODS DROPS A HINT on future AFTER MISSING CUT
Woods cut a frustrated figure today after missing the cut with a +7 total following rounds of 74&73 and suggested afterwards this US Open could be his last. Woods was able to participate this week using a special exemption. Among the other notable players to miss the cut are Viktor Hovland (+6), Max Homa (+6), Rickie Fowler (+8), Will Zalatoris (+8), Jason Day (+8), Dustin Johnson (+9), Justin Thomas (+11) and Phil Mickelson (+15).
It's a par for Tiger Woods at the last.He will not make his 18th career U.S. Open cut. pic.twitter.com/QYgCD4OBDwJune 14, 2024
PAVON HAS TWO HOLES LEFT AND A CHANCE TO TAKE SOLO LEAD
Pavon has gone through the penultimate green and is 31-foot away in two at the par 4 eighth - having started on the 10th. The Frenchman opts to putt but takes three to get down.
ABERG REFLECTS ON LEADING THE US OPEN IN HIS FIRST ATTEMPT
Aberg, 24, playing in his first US Open, said: "It is not easy but it is not supposed to be easy. We have tried to stay disciplined. I feel we have done a great job of that so far." The Swede's -1 round today has left him -5 in total - one shot ahead of the pack.
UNHAPPY KOEPKA SNUBS POST ROUND INTERVIEWS
Former US Open champion Brooks Koepka shot 75 today and is +5 in total. He will make the cut but doesn't appear very happy. After declining an interview post round, Koepka agreed to a text message interview with Eamon Lynch: “I opted not to do ‘em just because I didn’t feel like it. Same questions every week. The lack of creativity with questions is kinda boring. I know I’m not a media favorite either so it’s not like anyone will notice. LOL.”
PAVON SLIPS DOWN THE LEADERBOARD WITH POOR FINISH
Pavon has struck the ball well today but has finished with a 70 to stand -3 in total after a bogey, bogey finish. After starting his round on the 10th, he was unlucky on the 8th when his approach hit the green but ran through before he was unable to get up and down. This scenario has happened to a lot of the frustrated pros.
