Greg Wilcox;Ellen McLaughlinandDaniel Zeqiri, (Live updates)
Ace for Francesco Molinari at the ninth!
There are ways to make the cut and then there’s this.
The 2018 Open winner stood on the ninth tee box (his 18th hole of the round) on seven-over, two off the cut line, so doubtless thinking about what flight he can get this evening.
That was until he struck his tee shot at the 194-yard par three. It landed right and about 25 foot short of the hole before meandering towards it and ultimately dropping in.
That moves him from seven-over (outside the cut line) to five-over (inside the cut line) and he’ll be at Pinehurst for the weekend. Wow...
Aberg back to five-under
A bogey are the par-four 16th comes about after his approach flies into the back bunker. From there he has a devilish up-and-down which he cannot make.
Meanwhile, Pavon has a putt to move to six-under and the sole lead but his attempt drifts right and he stays at five-under to share the lead with the Swede.
Bogey for Cantlay at 16
That drops him back to four-under and has come about due to a wayward drive (into the native area on the left), a wayward approach (from 160 yards out to the native area on the left), his chip left him 13 foot for par and he was unable to find the bottom of the cup.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 14, 2024Patrick Cantlay led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green in round 1.
He's currently 112th today in that statistic.
Things are going the away of Aberg
The Swede just about drains a 12-footer for par at the par-three 15th to stay at six-under, still the sole leader.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2024Ludvig Åberg remains unphased.
Another birdie gives him the solo lead @USOpenGolf.pic.twitter.com/qFhSK2SNpL
Tiger falls to seven-over...
...and with two holes to go you think his race to make the weekend is run.
The 12-foot putt for par drifting right. His putter has let him down this week, which will annoy him as the short game is the one part of his game that his battered body allows him to practise...
He now needs two birdies from the last two holes, with the projected cut line still five over.
Tiger isn’t having a run of luck
His drive at 16 finds the left rough, but from 201 yards he plays what looks to be a find approach. But, as with so many approaches this week, it’s only once the ball finds the green can you really say whether it’s a good shot or not. This one lands shy of the pin but takes the slope long and left. He’ll have a tricky up-and-down now to stay at six-over when what he really needs to do his get to five-over.
Oh dear...
...That was a hard watch (in a sporting sense only...in the big scheme of things it was nothing...). Tiger hits a good putt that looks for all the world as though it’s going to drop, but such is life, it horseshoes and stays above ground. That’s got to hurt. He stays at six-over one off the cut line of five-over.
He has three holes with which to try and find a birdie...
Another birdie chance goes begging for Tiger
He doesn’t look a happy chappy as he walks off the 14th green and it’s not overly hard to see why. His 163-yard approach at the par four left him with a 20-footer that, as with the last hole, flirts with dropping, but stays visible. He has four holes to find a birdie and get back to five-over, which is the current projected cut line.
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Aberg back with a two-shot lead
The Swede has been serene on this devilishly tough course for the past two days and he’s birdied the 12th to get back to six-under. He had 126 yards with his approach, he fired it to 21 feet and drained the putt from there. It looks as though he’ll be hard to stop if he continues this form.
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— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2024Ludvig Åberg remains unphased.
Another birdie gives him the solo lead @USOpenGolf.pic.twitter.com/qFhSK2SNpL
Tiger falls back to six-over
And the pain on his face (from failing to make the shot rather than any back or body pain, thankfully...) is clear to see. He was the only player in his threeball to find the fairway but from there it all went wrong. He would only have had about an eight-iron into the green but the approach finds the left slope, he misjudges his chip and is unable to drain the resulting 11-foot putt.
He’s now at six-over with the projected cut line at five-over...
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Aberg now sharing the lead with Cantlay
Having found fairway after fairway has found the rough his past two holes finds the fairway at the tough 11th.
As I type that Cantlay birdies the same hole (in the group ahead).
The American 180-yards to the pin with his approach, and stiffed it to five feet, from there he made no mistake to move back to five-under and once again share the lead with the Swede.
Double for Garcia
The Spaniard had been going along nicely but in one-fell swoop he’s at one-over. That’s down to a wayward tee-shot that finds the native area on the left. His second then finds the native area on the right and his third comes short of the green. He takes three shots from there and falls back into the over-par numbers.
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The eighth hurt Cantlay and it’s hurt Aberg
Though not to the same extent. The Swede walks off with a bogey, compared to Cantlay’s double.
His drive went left into the rough (his first fairway missed this tournament?) his approach was short of the green and he was unable to get up-and-down from there meaning he drops to five-over. He still is in the sole lead, though by just the one shot now.
Nightmare for Cantlay on the eighth
He hit his approach pin-high but that’s not what you want on this green and it rolled off the back. His third was a chip that went over the other side of the green, his fourth was a chip that rolled back towards him, his fifth was a chip that left him a 12-footer...can he walk off with just a double? Yes, he can, which, considering his head must have been scrambled is no bad result...he’s back to four-over.
How much will that scar him?
Shot of the day?
Will be shocked if there’s one better for the rest of the round. Theegala shot a seven-over 77 yesterday BUT has three birdies in his opening six holes today (the last of which is the short-game masterpiece below) and is back to four-over.
Unbelievable golf shot from @SRTheegala 🔥pic.twitter.com/7PXkZ4x7Th https://t.co/yIu8ISK93f
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2024
Serene from Aberg
Success will depend a lot on the approach shots this week, but this will also certainly help...
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 14, 2024Ludvig Åberg has hit his first 20 fairways this week at Pinehurst.
He's the first to start a U.S. Open with 20 consecutive fairways hit since George Coetzee hit his first 20 in 2015.
Sky aren’t showing much golf at the moment
A lot of overhead shot of the course, which looks picturesque but wouldn’t mind seeing a few more shots. The last we saw of Tiger was a decent lag putt on the devilish par-four eighth. A look at the leaderboard (on the US Open website) tells me he holed the putt and so the Big Beast stays at four-over...can he stay for the weekend?
Aberg was solo leader...
...for all of about three minutes. That’s because he’s been joined by Patrick Cantlay who has just birdied the sixth. The American, who it’s hard to get excited by, hit his tee shot at the par-three to 21 feet and drained the birdie putt. It looks as though he’ll be in the mix well into the weekend.
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Aberg is solo leader
It’s thanks to his second birdie of the day and it’s come at the fifth. The Swede’s approach to the 596-yard par five went long and over the back. That left him a tricky up-and-down (are there any easy up-and-downs at Pinehurst No.2?!) but the young gun fired the chip to within 11 feet and he drained the birdie putt. This is only his third major but he already looks like a veteran. He’s moves to six-under.
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Perfect start from Pavon
Anyone who thinks Pavon will fall away may well have to rethink their prediction. The Frenchman has birdied his opening two holes and is now at five-under. Tasty. A course set-up such as this can sometimes throw up an unlikely winner, is Pavon a possible victor? The second birdie came courtesy of a 30-footer than never looked like finishing up anywhere other than the bottom of the cup.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 202430-footer for a share of the lead 💥
Rookie @MatthieuPavon starts his round birdie-birdie @USOpenGolf.pic.twitter.com/U3459dqIew
Detry is trending in the right direction in majors
Think that’s the phrase beloved by golfers who tend to have a vernacular all of their own...
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 14, 2024Thomas Detry: 9th consecutive major championship round of par or better
Detry was a combined +34 in his first six career majors. He's now 22-under in his last 10 major rounds played.
Detry signs off round of 67
Thomas Detry concludes a fine round on Pinehurst’s ninth – he sadly can’t sink his putt for the birdie.
He ends the round with a three-under 67.
Cruising into the weekend.@tomdetry 🇧🇪 will tee off late tomorrow after opening with rounds of 69-67. pic.twitter.com/dE0rBCKIJ7
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Birdie for Woods
What a sublime shot from Tiger Woods! He punches his approach into the fourth green from 230 yards and has a birdie putt from around 16 feet.
Wood has judged this well and it’s going to drop – of course in it goes! What a nice start for the three-time US Open winner.
ROARS ON 4! 🐅@TigerWoods with his first birdie of the afternoon. pic.twitter.com/uTsh8039iv
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Ludvig Aberg makes his move
The young Swede has looked in sublime form so far on his US Open debut.
From around 30 feet, he holes out an excellent birdie putt on the par-four second to move five-under par and take the lead alongside American Patrick Cantlay.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024Early fireworks from Ludvig Åberg! 💥
The young Swede is tied for the lead. pic.twitter.com/UsYNDOi58H
World No 1 thinks he will miss the cut
Scottie Scheffler speaking on his chances:
I don’t think five-over is going to get me into the weekend. But I’m proud of how I fought today.
I gave myself a good chance. Really yesterday I felt like I did a great job. Today I just couldn’t get the putts to fall.
This golf course can be unpredictable at times, and maybe it got the better of me the last couple days. I’ll sit down and think about where we’re going the last few days and figure it out.
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Par for Woods at the second
As we reported earlier, Tiger Woods finds himself in the wasteland off the second tee. So, the three-time US Open champion is forced just to play to safety with his second.
His chipped third leaves him with a fair bit of work to do – but his putt from around 15 feet rolls in for a vital save.
McIlroy speaking after his round
On the conditions at Pinehurst today:
I feel the golf course plays a little more difficult, even though we were off in the morning.
Some of the hole locations were definitely a little tougher. Sort of had to have your wits about you. I putted it off one green there on 17.
On his game in the second round:
Hit the ball pretty well. I think only missed one fairway. So I had plenty of opportunities. Wasn’t quite as good with the putter today. Still overall in a great position going into the weekend.
Disappointing end for Lowry
Irishman ends the day by bogeying his last after finding the greenside bunker at the ninth. Sadly, it means he drops back to five-over for the week where he joins World No 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Lowry will face an anxious wait to see if his score is good enough to see him stay for the weekend.
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Another player who has sneaked up the leaderboard
Hideki Matsuyama is on four-under after successive 68s. Going quietly about his business.
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Birdie to finish for DeChambeau
For the second successive day, DeChambeau finishes with a birdie to reach the clubhouse at four-under for the tournament. Speaking the Sky after his round, the American says he wants to engage with the fans and is targeting some “solid, boring golf” this weekend. A new outlook after a few years of trying to bludgeon courses to death.
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New tournament leader: Thomas Detry birdies the fifth to reach six-under
The Belgian is on course for a 65 if he can par his last four holes, which might just be even better than Cantlay and McIlroy’s equivalent score yesterday given the firmer conditions.
A 278-yard rocket with his trusty hybrid sets up a 2-putt birdie on No. 5.@tomdetry is now leading the U.S. Open at -6. pic.twitter.com/UAYFH1aV8r
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Some of the late starters
Off the first tee:
18:14: Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Tiger Woods, Will Zalatoris
18:25: Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley, Matt Kuchar
18:36: Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson
18:47: Justin Rose (Eng), Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland
Off the 10th tee:
18:14: Sergio Garcia (Spa), Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn), Francesco Molinari (Ita)
18:25: Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas
18:36: Rickie Fowler, Adam Hadwin (Can), Phil Mickelson
18:47: Nicolai Hojgaard (Den), Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Sahith Theegala
18:58: Sungjae Im (Kor), Si-Woo Kim (Kor), Matthieu Pavon (Fra)
It is a bogey to finish for McIlroy...
McIlroy is still in a very strong position in this championship at three-under, two behind the leaders who have to navigate this tough examination this afternoon.
His driving was outstanding once again, but he was not as sharp with his scoring clubs today.
Alongside McIlroy, Scheffler parred the ninth to finish on five-over for the tournament, four-over for his second round.
Scheffler is currently outside the cutline, but there is a fair chance he sneaks in given how difficult Pinehurst is playing.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 202471-74 for the World No. 1.
Now it's a waiting game to see where the cut ends up. pic.twitter.com/ci6dfdwSso
Decent effort from the bunker from McIlroy
Despite the plugged lie, the one thing in his favour was plenty of green to work with. The ball always comes out running with no spin out of a fried egg like that. McIlroy will have a putt from below the hole from about 10 feet to save his par.
Over at the 18th, Tyrrell Hatton has just finished up his second round: one-over for the day but one-under for the championship.
McIlroy plugged in the front bunker on the ninth
After McIlroy and Scheffler made easy pars on the eighth, the Northern Irishman has found trouble on his final hole of the day, the par three ninth. The hand was off the club as soon as he struck his tee shot, it looked like he got stuck underneath it. Sky-high ball flight that plummets into the face of the front bunker. Odds-against to get up and down from there.
Up at the eighth...
McIlroy and Scheffler are cautious with their approach shots, but that is the correct approach to such a dangerous pin surrounded by run-offs on all sides. DeChambeau has a birdie putt coming up at the 17 from almost the spot McIlroy de-greened from earlier,
Pars for Scheffler and McIlroy at the seventh
Just two holes remaining in their second rounds: the stiff par four eighth and the trick par three ninth with an awkward green that sits across the player.
On the eighth, McIlroy has just crushed yet another drive down into the ideal position.
Detry picks up two birdies in three holes
Birdies on the first and third having started on the 10th given the Belgian a share of the lead with Cantlay at five-under.
Up ahead at the seventh, McIlroy has safely found the heart of another green. An outside birdied chance upcoming, likewise Scheffler on the same hole.
Take me to your (co) leader!@tomdetry 🇧🇪 is sizzling at Pinehurst. pic.twitter.com/WwSaELmzh7
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Scheffler settles things down with a par on the sixth
He remains outside the current cutline at five-over with three holes of this second hole remaining. Given how this course will continue to bake out this afternoon, that could prove enough. But it would certainly leave Scheffler with an anxious wait. McIlroy also made par with a neat and tidy chip and putt. He remains four-under.
Could this run come to an end today?
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2024The last time Scottie Scheffler missed a cut was 672 days ago at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship.
After a double bogey on No. 5, he is now outside the projected cutline @USOpenGolf. pic.twitter.com/7lR7fH9F9r
Scheffler in danger around the cut line now
It is carnage around the fifth green. Scheffler tried to bump one up the slope but did not give it enough speed, and the ball ran back this feet in the waste area. His fourth ran through the other side of the green and he took three to get down from there. Scheffler now five-over, which is on the projected cut-line.
Xander Schauffele suffered the same fate - a double bogey after being stymied in the run-off area.
McIlroy played his chip shot conservatively to make sure he made it up the slope, and he held his nerve to two-putt for one of the best par fives he will make.
The Scottie-Xander-Rory group is having a rough go from the native area on 5. 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/eU7WUEUpkW
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Problems for the top group on the fifth
All three players got a little greedy with their approach shots - McIlroy and Scheffler’s second and Schauffele’s third - and saw their ball tumble down the steep slope to the left and into the waste area. McIlroy’s long iron was well struck but he needed to play out to the right. Turned it over too much.
DeChambeau finds another birdie!
He has the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand as he rolls in the putt for a three on the 13th. Consecutive birdies and DeChambeau is now four-under, level with Aberg and McIlroy and one behind Cantlay.
Over at the fifth, McIlroy is in ideal position on the par five.
Putter getting HOT! 🔥@b_dechambeau now just 1 back. pic.twitter.com/uQ4gtakvsO
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
A long old wait for the headline group on the par five fifth
The treacherous conditions and the number of players deploying aim-point techniques on the greens is leading to a slow pace of play. Schauffele loses his drive right, but McIlroy splits the fairway. A good chance for McIlroy to reach the green or greenside in two and find the birdie he needs to grab a share of the lead.
Hatton moving back in the right direction again
After a three-putt par on the 10th and a dropped shot on the 11th, Hatton has just birdied the 12th to move back to three-under.
Scottie Scheffler looks shorn of all confidence with a putter...another short birdie putt slides past at the fourth and he stays at three-over for the tournament. McIlroy with another par to stay at four-under.
McIlroy opens his birdie account
Another well played hole, but this time he converts the birdie chance on the short par four third. McIlroy moves back to four-under, which could be well be a score that leads overnight.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024Huzzah!
First birdie of the day for Rory. One behind the leader. pic.twitter.com/RmSVZZXUQT
McIlroy suffering from a cold putter
Yet another booming drive from McIlroy down the difficult second, leaving himself just a wedge on the 503-yard par four. Left it under the hole and 15 feet away, but the birdie try was always on the low side. McIlroy remains at three-under for the tournament, two-over for the day.
Alongside McIlroy, Schauffele maintains his forward momentum by rolling in another birdie. He is four-under for his last nine holes and two-under for the tournament.
Hole in one!
The Austrian Sepp Straka has holed his tee shot at the par three ninth to move back to two-over. That gives him some breathing space with the cut expected to fall around five-over.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024Ace alert! 🙌
No issue with the flagstick this time for @seppstraka. 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/8pySzBFpha
Thomas Detry with an early move
After starting on the 10th, the Belgian has made three birdies in his first four holes and has leapt to four-under, tied second with Aberg. Tyrrell Hatton is also sticking in there impressively at three-under.
Back at the 18th, McIlroy makes a par to reach the turn in two-over 37. He left two or three shots out there. Alongside McIlroy, Schauffele birdies the 18th to turn in one-under for the championship. Scheffler struggling at three-over for the tournament as the headline group reach the turn.
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Scheffler struggling at three-over and has just missed the 18th green
Just been out there and these greens have quickened considerably since yesterday.Scheffler looks bemused - and so now does playing partner McIlroy. Unless Pinehurst gets some cloud cover, the putting surfaces could be hellish this afternoon.
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McIlroy with a sensational escape on the 17th
His tee shot was a solid one, turning high from right to left on the par three, but it came to rest on the top level well above the hole. Putting downhill and downgrain, his birdie putt had too much pace and ran off down the false front and some 10 or 15 yards off the green.
McIlroy is staring a third bogey of the day in the face, but steps up and jars the chip for a par! Lesser likes would have got nervous and taken a putter, McIlroy was rewarded for the bold choice. That will feel like a birdie.
Classic one-putt by Rory. 😂 pic.twitter.com/QszrIci7De
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
DeChambeau birdie!
After a sky-high tee shot, DeChambeau holes a lengthy birdie putt across the green at the par three sixth. Back to where he started the day at three-under, two behind Cantlay.
Big roll, bigger roar!@b_dechambeau with his first birdie of the morning. pic.twitter.com/Xx050TO6ol
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Scheffler looking very frustrated
He throws his putter into the air after dropping a shot on the par three 15th. The tee shot was short and the chip was clumsy.
McIlroy’s chip was a little short of pace and leaves him with a nasty left-to-righter for par...and it was too firm.
Two bogeys in the first six holes for McIlroy, back to three-under.
A short game test coming up for McIlroy
His tee shot on the par three 15th comes up shy and rolls back down the false front. Will need all of his touch and skill to save par from there.
Over at the par five fifth, Max Homa has just made a scarcely believable course management error. Tried to hit a fairway wood out of the wire grass and could not get it off the ground.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024The rare aggressive club choice out of the wiregrass attempt...
It didn't go well 😬 pic.twitter.com/mAs1O6UB6b
It’s another sparkling drive from McIlroy
He has total control with the big stick in his hands, but is yet to convert some great positions into birdies so far. He has had a wedge or shorter into every hole so far, without a birdie. Scheffler and Schauffele are in tight on the 14th, and McIlroy’s flick with a sand wedge is also good. Took the spin off, so it ran on around 12 feet past. A chance for the first birdie of the day.
Rory. 358. Dead center. pic.twitter.com/Qku01JF1KN
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Schauffele bounces back
No fairway, no problem for the X Man as he sets himself up for a birdie on No. 13. pic.twitter.com/OPPGH8jVYL
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Jordan Spieth is out there Spiething
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024The ole chop and run!
Impressive recovery from the native sandy area by @JordanSpieth. pic.twitter.com/5n9iLZt1Ed
McIlroy finds fairway and green on the 12th
McIlroy with another piercing drive that is lower than his usual flight, chasing down the 12th fairway. After missing his last wedge shot left, he hands this one out to the right. Pretty average but an outside birdie chance. Better from Scheffler, who is inside McIlroy with a good birdie chance upcoming.
Nice start from Cameron Young
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024Control the distance: ✅
Control the spin: ✅Cameron Young with a birdie on 1. pic.twitter.com/jUtRkHOSQj
A sloppy bogey for McIlroy
Missed the green with a wedge from 151 yards, and this time his short game could not save him. Falls back to four-under, meaning Cantlay has the sole lead. After a par on a par five, McIlroy needs to be wary of not chasing a score. Consecutive bogeys to start for Schauffele, another par for Scheffler.
![US Open 2024: Latest updates Tiger Woods fails to make the cut at Pinehurst (19) US Open 2024: Latest updates Tiger Woods fails to make the cut at Pinehurst (19)](https://i0.wp.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/golf/2024/06/14/TELEMMGLPICT000381743668_17183686027720_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq6844extr6dIv-d8O8PIpPl5NUcTKNHKqy85KLqtvPLE.jpeg?imwidth=350)
That looks a good break for McIlroy
After a superb drive, that was one of the poorest short-iron shots we have seen from McIlroy this week. Pulled left, but his ball came to rest between two bunkers. Should be able to get up and down from there. Over at the second, Hatton holes a gutsy par putt to stem the bleeding.
The fine margins of Pinehurst No 2
Things have just improved for Mark Hubbard though, who has holed a snaking putt for birdie across the third green.
Those Pinehurst No. 2 false fronts 😳 pic.twitter.com/Wj74HXxy1K
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Bryson DeChambeau teeing off on the first...
Just a long iron for position on this 400-yard opener. No troubles for DeChambeau, as he finds the fairway and lays back short of the bunkers. Alongside DeChambeau is Viktor Hovland, who endured a torrid first round of 78 yesterday. Hovland also finds the fairway.
The opening tee shots on the 10th...
McIlroy pulls driver and his opening tee shot is a sound one, fired down the right side of the fairway. Alongside him, Schauffele’s drive is a peach and Scheffler looks more like his old self as he finds the cut and prepared. Scheffler missed too many fairways yesterday, so that drive will give him a lift.
Around 10 minutes until the headline group tee off
That is when the television coverage starts. Scheffler did not look in rhythm right from his first tee shot yesterday, let’s see if things have improved. Scheffler, McIlroy and Schauffele are starting on the 10th, which is one of Pinehurst’s two par fives. A presentable birdie chance and there are not many of those.
The second rounds are under way
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024The old reliable fairway finder.
The first tee shot of Round 2 belongs to @UGAGolf product @Gbsigg. pic.twitter.com/1gqM40SOhq
Round two pin positions
Hole locations for Round 2 at @PinehurstResort ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/LIsowdOVvA
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Some of the early starters
Off the first tee:
12:18: Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Nick Taylor (Can)
12:29: Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Tom Hoge
12:40: Bryson DeChambeau, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland (Nor)
Off the 10th tee:
12:18: Jason Day (Aus), Harris English, Joo-Hyung Kim (Kor)
12:29: Rory McIlroy (NI), Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler
12:40: Wyndham Clark, Nick Dunlap, Brian Harman
12:51: Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Jackson Suber, Jordan Spieth
13:02: Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Shane Lowry (Ire)
Can Rory McIlroy back up one good round with another?
Rory McIlroy produced one of his most serene major championship performances in many a year with a bogey-free five-under par opening round to tie the US Open lead at Pinehurst.
McIlroy barely missed a shot from tee to green, with his distance control on those previously bothersome approach shots much improved. He looked confident on the greens, and when he was out of position some sharp short game work got him out of trouble.
The Northern Irishman has the chance to cement his position at the top of the leaderboard as he chases a first major since 2014, with the benefit of fresh morning greens. Only 15 players broke par yesterday, but the scores posted by McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Ludvig Aberg showed progress can be made. Pinehurst’s hog’s back greens are treacherous, but rolled smoothly throughout the day and there is plenty of room off the tee.
Also in contention, fresh off his thrilling run at the US PGA Championship at Valhalla, is Bryson DeChambeau. The American is turning into an unlikely fan’s favourites, and his first-round 67 featured plenty of thrills and spills.
The best English performance on Thursday came from Tyrrell Hatton with a two-under 68. It would be quite something if the combustible Hatton made his major breakthrough at a US Open, which is famed as a test of patience. Tommy Fleetwood looks better suited to the test, and is well-positioned at level-par.
Scottie Scheffler was strangely ragged from tee to green, but is still within striking distance at one over-par, playing alongside McIlroy and World No 2 Xander Schauffele, who is level-par.
Tiger Woods is likely to face a battle to make the cut after a four-over 74, while it was a first round to forget for the likes of Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland and Justin Thomas.