
US Open live leaderboard updates: Tee times, first-round scores, highlights
US Open live leaderboard updates: Tee times, first-round scores, highlights
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Xander Schauffele ready for Oakmont's tough test
Xander Schauffele calls Oakmont a true test, where hitting fairways and greens is the only way to survive.
USGA
A full field of 156 golfers tee off today in the opening round of the 125th U.S. Open, the third major championship of the 2025 season.
For a record 10th time, the tournament will take place at the historic Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 7,372-yard, par-70 layout is sure to challenge the world's top players and those who survived the rigorous annual qualifying process.
Bryson DeChambeau is the defending champion after he pulled out a one-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy a year ago at Pinehurst. Those two should be among the top contenders again this year, along with world No. 1 and reigning PGA champion Scottie Scheffler.
USA TODAY Sports will provide complete coverage of Thursday's opening round. Follow along for live updates here:
1. J.J. Spaun -2 (4*)
T2. Ludvig Aberg -2 (3*)
T2. Rory McIlroy -1 (2*)
T2. Adam Scott-1 (3*)
T2. Matthew Fitzpatrick -1 (1)
T2. Gary Woodland -1 (2)
You can get the latest leaderboard updates and tee times here.
Where to watch the US Open: TV Channel, streaming Thursday
The 2025 U.S. Open will be broadcast by NBC and USA Network throughout all four rounds, with USA Network the sole home for first-round action on Thursday, June 12 and NBC and USA Network splitting coverage for the second, third and final rounds. All four rounds of the U.S. Open will be live streamed on Peacock, usopen.com, the USGA app and Fubo, which offers a free trial. Peacock will also broadcast U.S. Open All-Access, its whiparound-style offering, on all four days.
TV channel: USA Network - (7 a.m.-5 p.m.)
USA Network - (7 a.m.-5 p.m.) Live stream: Fubo (7 a.m.-5 p.m.), Peacock (5 p.m.-8 p.m.), usopen.com (featured groups)
Watch the 2025 US Open with Fubo
Maxwell Moldovan had to go through 36-hole Final Qualifying to earn his spot at this year's U.S. Open. But he certainly showed he belonged with the big boys on his opening hole of the tournament.
On the 484-yard par 4, Moldovan hit a perfect approach shot from the right side of the fairway. And we mean PERFECT.
It hit the front of the green, slowly rolled toward the flagstick and dropped in the cup for an eagle 2.
Moldovan is a 23-year-old player on the Korn Ferry Tour from Uniontown, Ohio.
He qualified for last year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst, but missed the cut after shooting 14 over par in the first two rounds.
US Open tee times today
For a full list of tee times, you can find Thursday's starts here.
All times Eastern; (a) amateur; (1 or 10) starting hole
6:45 a.m. (1) : Matt Vogt (a), Kevin Velo, Trent Phillips
: Matt Vogt (a), Kevin Velo, Trent Phillips 6:45 a.m. (10) : Zac Blair, Scott Vincent, Alistair Docherty
: Zac Blair, Scott Vincent, Alistair Docherty 6:56 a.m. (1) : Chandler Blanchet, Alvaro Ortiz, Doug Ghim
: Chandler Blanchet, Alvaro Ortiz, Doug Ghim 6:56 a.m. (10) : Jacques Kruyswijk, Jordan Smith, Eric Cole
: Jacques Kruyswijk, Jordan Smith, Eric Cole 7:07 a.m. (1) : Evan Beck (a), Maxwell Moldovan, Justin Hicks
: Evan Beck (a), Maxwell Moldovan, Justin Hicks 7:07 a.m. (10) : Tom Kim, J.J. Spaun, Taylor Pendrith
: Tom Kim, J.J. Spaun, Taylor Pendrith 7:18 a.m. (1) : Harris English, Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood
: Harris English, Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood 7:18 a.m. (10) : Ludvig Åberg, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama
: Ludvig Åberg, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama 7:29 a.m. (1) : Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Jose Luis Ballester
: Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Jose Luis Ballester 7:29 a.m. (10) : Ben Griffin, Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy
: Ben Griffin, Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy 7:40 a.m. (1) : Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland
: Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland 7:40 a.m. (10) : Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy
: Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy 7:51 a.m. (1) : Akshay Bhatia, Matt McCarty, Robert MacIntyre
: Akshay Bhatia, Matt McCarty, Robert MacIntyre 7:51 a.m. (10) : Patrick Cantlay, Si Woo Kim, Lucas Glover
: Patrick Cantlay, Si Woo Kim, Lucas Glover 8:02 a.m. (1) : Cam Davis, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry
: Cam Davis, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry 8:02 a.m. (10) : Cameron Smith, Brian Harman, Phil Mickelson
: Cameron Smith, Brian Harman, Phil Mickelson 8:13 a.m. (1) : Richard Bland, Trevor Gutschewski (a), Lanto Griffin
: Richard Bland, Trevor Gutschewski (a), Lanto Griffin 8:13 a.m. (10) : Niklas Norgaard, Brian Campbell, Justin Lower
: Niklas Norgaard, Brian Campbell, Justin Lower 8:24 a.m. (1) : Edoardo Molinari, Sam Stevens, Ryan Gerard
: Edoardo Molinari, Sam Stevens, Ryan Gerard 8:24 a.m. (10) : Davis Riley, Jackson Koivun (a), Johnny Keefer
: Davis Riley, Jackson Koivun (a), Johnny Keefer 8:35 a.m. (1) : Thriston Lawrence, Noah Kent (a), Thorbjørn Olesen
: Thriston Lawrence, Noah Kent (a), Thorbjørn Olesen 8:35 a.m. (10) : James Hahn, Mark Hubbard, Michael La Sasso (a)
: James Hahn, Mark Hubbard, Michael La Sasso (a) 8:46 a.m. (1) : Jinichiro Kozuma, Cameron Tankersley (a), Chase Johnson
: Jinichiro Kozuma, Cameron Tankersley (a), Chase Johnson 8:46 a.m. (10) : Joakim Langergren, Mason Howell (a), Chris Gotterup
: Joakim Langergren, Mason Howell (a), Chris Gotterup 8:57 a.m. (1) : Philip Barbaree, Riley Lewis, Brady Calkins
: Philip Barbaree, Riley Lewis, Brady Calkins 8:57 a.m. (10) : Zach Bauchou, Jackson Buchanan, Lance Simpson (a)
: Zach Bauchou, Jackson Buchanan, Lance Simpson (a) 12:30 p.m. (1) : Frederic LeCroix, Emiliano Grillo, Sam Bairstow
: Frederic LeCroix, Emiliano Grillo, Sam Bairstow 12:30 p.m. (10) : Will Chandler, Andrea Pavan, Takumi Kanaya
: Will Chandler, Andrea Pavan, Takumi Kanaya 12:41 p.m. (1) : Byeung Hun An, Joe Highsmith, Ryan Fox
: Byeung Hun An, Joe Highsmith, Ryan Fox 12:41 p.m. (10) : Bryan Lee (a), Guido Migliozzi, Preston Summerhays
: Bryan Lee (a), Guido Migliozzi, Preston Summerhays 12:52 p.m. (1) : Victor Perez, Jacob Bridgeman, Adam Schenk
: Victor Perez, Jacob Bridgeman, Adam Schenk 12:52 p.m. (10) : Erik van Rooyen, Max Greyserman, Matt Wallace
: Erik van Rooyen, Max Greyserman, Matt Wallace 1:03 p.m. (1) : Min Woo Lee, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
: Min Woo Lee, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka 1:03 p.m. (10) : Russell Henley, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nick Taylor
: Russell Henley, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nick Taylor 1:14 p.m. (1) : Sam Burns, Nico Echavarria, Denny McCarthy
: Sam Burns, Nico Echavarria, Denny McCarthy 1:14 p.m. (10) : Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson
: Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson 1:25 p.m. (1) : Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler
: Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler 1:25 p.m. (10) : Tyrrell Hatton, Sungjae Im, Sepp Straka
: Tyrrell Hatton, Sungjae Im, Sepp Straka 1:36 p.m. (1) : Corey Conners, Jason Day, Patrick Reed
: Corey Conners, Jason Day, Patrick Reed 1:36 p.m. (10) : Cameron Young, Tom Hoge, J.T. Poston
: Cameron Young, Tom Hoge, J.T. Poston 1:47 p.m. (1) : Joaquin Niemann, Bud Cauley, Daniel Berger
: Joaquin Niemann, Bud Cauley, Daniel Berger 1:47 p.m. (10) : Jhonattan Vegas, Michael Kim, Matthieu Pavon
: Jhonattan Vegas, Michael Kim, Matthieu Pavon 1:58 p.m. (1) : MacKenzie Hughes, Tony Finau, Chris Kirk
: MacKenzie Hughes, Tony Finau, Chris Kirk 1:58 p.m. (10) : Marc Leishman, Aaron Rai, Nick Dunlap
: Marc Leishman, Aaron Rai, Nick Dunlap 2:09 p.m. (1) : Ben James (a), Rasmus Højgaard, Stephan Jaeger
: Ben James (a), Rasmus Højgaard, Stephan Jaeger 2:09 p.m. (10) : Matthew Jordan, Yuta Sugiura, Carlos Ortiz
: Matthew Jordan, Yuta Sugiura, Carlos Ortiz 2:20 p.m. (1) : Rasmus Neergaard-Peterson, Justin Hastings (a), Laurie Canter
: Rasmus Neergaard-Peterson, Justin Hastings (a), Laurie Canter 2:20 p.m. (10) : Ryan McCormick, Trevor Cone, Zachary Pollo (a)
: Ryan McCormick, Trevor Cone, Zachary Pollo (a) 2:31 p.m. (1) : Frankie Harris (a), Emilio Gonzalez, Roberto Díaz
: Frankie Harris (a), Emilio Gonzalez, Roberto Díaz 2:31 p.m. (10) : James Nicholas, Tyler Weaver (a), Riki Kawamoto
: James Nicholas, Tyler Weaver (a), Riki Kawamoto 2:42 p.m. (1) : Grant Haefner, Joey Herrera, George Kneiser
: Grant Haefner, Joey Herrera, George Kneiser 2:42 p.m. (10): Austin Truslow, Harrison Ott, George Duangmanee
All odds via BetMGM on Thursday, June 12.
Scottie Scheffler: +275
Bryson DeChambeau: +750
Jon Rahm: +1200
Rory McIlroy: +1400
Ludvig Aberg: +2200
Xander Schauffele: +2200
Collin Morikawa: +2500
Joaquin Niemann: +3000
Shane Lowry: +3300
Tommy Fleetwood: +3300
The National Weather Service reports that the weather in the Oakmont, Pennsylvania, area is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high near 87 degrees. Winds will be about 5 mph.
— Elizabeth Flores
Picks made ahead of the US Open's first round:
Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY: Scottie Scheffler (+275)
"Scheffler has by far the shortest odds to win the U.S. Open, but it's for a good reason. He has won three of his last four tournaments, including the PGA Championship, and has finished no worse than T-25th in any event this season.
"Scheffler's success is largely thanks to his strong tee-to-green game. He ranks first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee to green (SG:T2G) but has also been the tour's second-best scrambler. That combination should allow him to have fewer issues than others with Oakmont's brutal rough and could ultimately deliver him his first U.S. Open title."
Dylan Dethier, Golf.com: Xander Schauffele always shows up at U.S. Open
"Don't let him throw you off the scent with his first non-top-20 major finish in three-plus years or a surprisingly poor putting performance at the Memorial. If Xander can find the groove with his driver, he has as good a chance as anybody to win this thing. Don't forget: He's played eight U.S. Opens in his life, he's never finished worse than 14th, and he has six top-7s. Book this man for a win, cover your bases with a top 10."
Jessica Marksbury, Golf.com: Scottie Scheffler continues to dominate
"How can I go with any other player? Scottie is back in alpha mode, and a U.S. Open at Oakmont — golf's toughest test on the game's toughest course — will identify the most complete player as champion. That's Scottie. Third leg of the career grand slam comin' up!"
Nick Piastowski, Golf.com: Bryson DeChambeau repeats
"With high rough, give me the guy who's hitting wedges into the greens. It's hard to bet against Scottie Scheffler, but I'm predicting a DeChambeau repeat."
Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated: Scottie Scheffler is running a one-man race
"If you aren't going to bet on Scottie Scheffler, you should stick to betting the 'without Scheffler' market. We haven't seen a golfer listed with as short of odds as +280 to win a major since Tiger Woods in his prime, but in my opinion, his odds should be even shorter.
"He has won three of his last four starts, including running away with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Over the last six months, Scheffler has gained 0.73 true strokes per round more than any other golfer in the world. The 0.73 strokes per round gap between Scheffler and the second-ranked golfer, Bryson DeChambeau, is the same as the gap between DeChambeau and Sepp Straka."
Picks made ahead of the US Open's first round:
Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY: Sepp Straka (+4000)
"Straka hasn't yet won a major but has turned into one of the PGA Tour's most consistent players. He ranks second to only Scheffler in total strokes gained (SG: Total) and ranks top-three in both strokes gained approaching the green (SG:APP) and greens in regulation (GIR) percentage. He missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship this year but has finished top-three in two of his last three events, including a win at the Truist Championship."
Daniel Dobish, Sportsbook Wire: Corey Conners (+5500)
"Conners is another one of those golfers who is super accurate off of the tee, hitting 559 of a possible 812 fairways. He is so-so in driving distance, which isn't a bad thing. He'll likely be able to avoid some of those deep fairway bunkers as a result. He ranks 10th on Tour in SG: Off-to-Tee, while checking in 13th in GIR (69.64%), so he knows how to make up for his modest driving power."
Dennis Esser, The Athletic: Russell Henley (+6000)
"(Henley) is coming off two missed cuts in major championships, but he has five top 27 finishes at the U.S. Open in his last six tries. He had his best-ever finish at the U.S. Open in 2024 with a T7 at Pinehurst No. 2. He is coming off of a T5 at the Memorial, where he gained over nine strokes from tee to green, and only a cold weekend putter kept him from challenging (Ben) Griffin and Scheffler."
Oakmont Country Club will host the 125th U.S. Open, which begins this week. It will be the 10th time that the venue has hosted the event, three times more than any other club.
It will also be the first time the event has returned to Oakmont since 2016. The U.S. Open is scheduled to be back at the venue in 2033, 2042 and 2049.
Henry Clay Fownes designed the course at the Oakmont Country Club, intending to challenge the sport's best.— James Williams
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Hamilton Spectator
22 minutes ago
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Late miscues cost Phil Mickelson a shot at the weekend in his 34th — and maybe last — US Open
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — By the time Phil Mickelson reached the 18th green at Oakmont on Friday evening, the once-packed grandstand was maybe a quarter-full. Same for the luxury suites. There was no grand gesture as the 54-year-old Mickelson loped up the hill. No wave to the crowd the way Arnold Palmer did in the same spot on the same course 31 years ago. No lengthy standing ovation from the gallery in return either. The man whose decades-long pursuit of the U.S. Open made him a fan favorite in his prime — not unlike Palmer in some ways — instead quietly marked his ball 16 feet from the hole, then walked over to the far edge of the green and stared at the leaderboard that glowed in the rainy twilight. A birdie would have let Mickelson stick around for the weekend at his 34th — and perhaps last — trip to the national championship. Wearing a white hat featuring the logo of his LIV Golf team, the HyFlyers GC, Mickelson stood over the line trying to get the right read. When the putt slid a foot left of the hole to keep Mickelson one outside the cut at plus-8, a small groan arose from those who stuck around. There was a shout or two of 'We love you Phil!' Along the railing, a man leaned toward a friend and said, 'His exemption is done. No more U.S. Open for you Phil.' Maybe, maybe not. The five-year exemption into the tournament that Mickelson received when he captured the 2021 PGA Championship is expiring. Whether he'll be back to make a run at the one major that has eluded him is anyone's guess. Mickelson sure isn't saying. He politely declined to talk to reporters after emerging from the scoring area, disappearing into the clubhouse and an uncertain future at a tournament where he's been a runner-up six times. There are a number of ways for Mickelson to make it to Shinnecock next June. The USGA could offer him an exemption, as it did at Torrey Pines in 2020, though that doesn't appear to be USGA chief championship officer John Bodenhamer's first choice. 'I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing,' Bodenhamer said Wednesday. 'That's what he did last time. We gave him one and then he went out and won the PGA Championship. So wouldn't put it past him.' Mickelson became the oldest major champion ever when he triumphed at Kiawah in 2021 at age 50. A lot has happened since then. Both on the course and off it. The man known universally as 'Lefty' played a major role in LIV Golf's rise, a move that has taken a bit of the shine off of his popularity back home. And while Mickelson's game can still show flashes — he really did knock a sideways flop shot into the hole during a LIV event last week in Virginia — and he looks fitter now than he did two decades ago, the reality is the swashbuckling approach that once endeared him to so many doesn't work that much anymore at the U.S. Open. Mickelson appeared to be in solid position to play the weekend when he stood on the 15th tee. He even on the day and 4 over for the tournament, well inside the cutline. A tee shot into the ankle deep rough at the 489-yard par 4 led to double bogey. He still seemed to be OK when he got to 17, a short uphill par 4. His tee shot sailed into the rough above a greenside bunker. There would be no magic this time. His attempted flop splashed into the sand instead. He blasted out to 25 feet and three-putted for another double bogey. That put him in a position he's been familiar with for a long time: heading to 18 at the U.S. Open needing to make a birdie of consequence. It didn't happen. And as he disappeared into the clubhouse, along with it came the realization that at this point, it likely never will. ___ AP golf:


San Francisco Chronicle
24 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Late miscues cost Phil Mickelson a shot at the weekend in his 34th -- and maybe last -- US Open
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — By the time Phil Mickelson reached the 18th green at Oakmont on Friday evening, the once-packed grandstand was maybe a quarter-full. Same for the luxury suites. There was no grand gesture as the 54-year-old Mickelson loped up the hill. No wave to the crowd the way Arnold Palmer did in the same spot on the same course 31 years ago. No lengthy standing ovation from the gallery in return either. The man whose decades-long pursuit of the U.S. Open made him a fan favorite in his prime — not unlike Palmer in some ways — instead quietly marked his ball 16 feet from the hole, then walked over to the far edge of the green and stared at the leaderboard that glowed in the rainy twilight. A birdie would have let Mickelson stick around for the weekend at his 34th — and perhaps last — trip to the national championship. Wearing a white hat featuring the logo of his LIV Golf team, the HyFlyers GC, Mickelson stood over the line trying to get the right read. When the putt slid a foot left of the hole to keep Mickelson one outside the cut at plus-8, a small groan arose from those who stuck around. There was a shout or two of 'We love you Phil!' Along the railing, a man leaned toward a friend and said, "His exemption is done. No more U.S. Open for you Phil.' Maybe, maybe not. The five-year exemption into the tournament that Mickelson received when he captured the 2021 PGA Championship is expiring. Whether he'll be back to make a run at the one major that has eluded him is anyone's guess. Mickelson sure isn't saying. He politely declined to talk to reporters after emerging from the scoring area, disappearing into the clubhouse and an uncertain future at a tournament where he's been a runner-up six times. There are a number of ways for Mickelson to make it to Shinnecock next June. The USGA could offer him an exemption, as it did at Torrey Pines in 2020, though that doesn't appear to be USGA chief championship officer John Bodenhamer's first choice. 'I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing,' Bodenhamer said Wednesday. "That's what he did last time. We gave him one and then he went out and won the PGA Championship. So wouldn't put it past him.' Mickelson became the oldest major champion ever when he triumphed at Kiawah in 2021 at age 50. A lot has happened since then. Both on the course and off it. The man known universally as 'Lefty' played a major role in LIV Golf's rise, a move that has taken a bit of the shine off of his popularity back home. And while Mickelson's game can still show flashes — he really did knock a sideways flop shot into the hole during a LIV event last week in Virginia — and he looks fitter now than he did two decades ago, the reality is the swashbuckling approach that once endeared him to so many doesn't work that much anymore at the U.S. Open. Mickelson appeared to be in solid position to play the weekend when he stood on the 15th tee. He even on the day and 4 over for the tournament, well inside the cutline. A tee shot into the ankle deep rough at the 489-yard par 4 led to double bogey. He still seemed to be OK when he got to 17, a short uphill par 4. His tee shot sailed into the rough above a greenside bunker. There would be no magic this time. His attempted flop splashed into the sand instead. He blasted out to 25 feet and three-putted for another double bogey. That put him in a position he's been familiar with for a long time: heading to 18 at the U.S. Open needing to make a birdie of consequence. It didn't happen. And as he disappeared into the clubhouse, along with it came the realization that at this point, it likely never will.


New York Post
26 minutes ago
- New York Post
Sam Burns left standing atop the US Open leaderboard as stars falter in nasty second round
OAKMONT, Pa. — Oakmont bit back Friday. It's not that the venerable venue hosting its record 10th U.S. Open this week was a pushover in Thursday's opening round. But it was a bit nastier in Friday's second round. It was particularly hard on the game's biggest stars. Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 ranked player and an overwhelming favorite to win this week, fought his butt off to get himself inside the cut line and is 4-over par, seven shots behind leader Sam Burns. Burns (more on him in a moment) leads at 3-under after shooting an eye-opening 5-under 65 on Friday and is one of only three players in the 156-man field under par. 5 Sam Burns swings during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 13. Getty Images The other two are first-round leader J.J. Spaun at 2-under and Viktor Hovland at 1-under. Adam Scott and Ben Griffin, one of the hottest players in the game, are even par. Scheffler, despite his struggles, played well enough to reach the weekend, as did Rory McIlroy, who birdied No. 18 to close at 6-over before continuing his bizarre anti-media petulant pouting campaign and blowing off interview requests. For those counting at home, that's six consecutive major championship rounds since his triumphant Masters victory in April that McIlroy has refused to be interviewed. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau did the same, bolting the grounds in a slow jog despite a USGA interview request after he stumbled off of 18 having shot 10-over in two rounds. Oakmont will do that to you. It did it to Dustin Johnson, the last player to win a U.S. Open at Oakmont, in 2016. He finished 10-over. It did it to Shane Lowry, who was runner-up to Johnson and in good form. He posted 17-over in two days. 5 Bryson DeChambeau reacts during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 13. Getty Images 5 Dustin Johnson reacts after a shot during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 13. Getty Images Burns was one of the very few who didn't seem to be bothered by Oakmont, despite entering this week having played in 19 majors and posting only one top 10, at the 2024 U.S. Open. But on Friday, in his second round, Burns looked and sounded like he's found something, posting the round of the tournament. It was a score that few saw coming this week. Asked if he saw a 65 possible in tournament play while playing practice rounds, Burns said, 'Honestly, I didn't really think of much of a score. The golf course is really too difficult to try to figure out what's a good score and what's not. 5 Sam Burns reacts during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 13. AP 'It's a 72-hole golf tournament, and if you can get a round under par out here, no matter if it's 1-under, you'll take it. I think today was really nice with the finish I had yesterday, and it felt like I played really well. I'm looking forward to the weekend.'' The 28-year-old Burns, ranked 22nd in the world and a five-time PGA Tour winner, is just days removed from a playoff loss to Ryan Fox at the Canadian Open on Sunday, so he arrived at Oakmont in good form. 'I feel like I've been playing well coming off last week and into this week and my round [Thursday],'' Burns said. 'It's really just trying to get yourself in position out here and give yourself as many looks as you can.'' When Burns gets good looks, he often cashes them in because he's one of the best putters in the game. Scheffler offered his analysis on what makes Burns such a good putter. 'He plays golf, I think, very freely, and he's got really good natural instincts when it comes to his putting,'' Scheffler said. 'And a lot of it is just very reactionary. He's got good fundamentals, good instinct, and he putts very reactionary. That's really all there is to it.'' Asked 'how badly'' Burns wants to win a major, Scheffler said, 'It's a complicated question. Sam is like me in a sense that he's a hyper-competitive person. I think you always dream of having a chance to win these tournaments, and he's put himself in position a few times at majors. He's in position again. 'I'm sure going into the weekend he's right where I would want to be on the leaderboard, so it should be a fun experience for him.'' Burns revealed what he's learned from his past struggles in majors. 5 Sam Burns lines up a putt during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 13. AP 'At times, I was trying to be a little too perfect around major championship golf courses,'' he said. 'Especially around here, it kind of forces you to take your medicine because a lot of times, that's the only option you have. 'For this golf course, you really just have to free it up. It's too hard to try to guide it around here. You're going to hit some in the rough, you're going to hit some in some bad spots, you might as well do it with authority. It's going to be a fun weekend.''