Great Scott in the mix, stars fail 'brutal' major test
Golf's biggest names slipped up and most Australians perished in a typically rough start to the US Open at fearsome Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
American JJ Spaun produced a majestic bogey-free four-under 66 to claim a one-shot first-round lead as only 10 players in the 156-man field broke par on the Open rota's most difficult layout.There were shanks and air-swings from the savage rough as 16 players shot 80 or worse, including American qualifier George Duangmanee, who propped up the field with a 16-over-par 86.
Former world No.1 Adam Scott (70) and the resurgent Marc Leishman (71), playing his first major championship since the 2022 British Open, are the only Australians seemingly still in contention after Cam Davis (74), Cameron Smith (75), Jason Day (76) and Min Woo Lee (77) all struggled.
Heavyweights Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy also have work to do to make the halfway cut as Oakmont bared its teeth once more.
Tiger Woods is the only top-ranked player ever to win the Open at the brutal venue, and the curse of the world No.1 struck Scheffler, who could only manage a three-over 73 to be seven shots adrift of Spaun.
Pre-tournament second favourite DeChambeau also opened with a 73, while Masters champ McIlroy is one stroke further back, right on the cut line in a tie for 62nd, after shooting 41 on his inward nine.
"It got me," said defending champion DeChambeau.
"Even for a guy like me, I can't get out of it some of the times, depending on the lie. It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf."
Scott is tied for 11th after grinding out an even-par round despite suffering another dispiriting late lapse after a rousing early-morning effort on Thursday (Friday AEST).
The 44-year-old was right in the thick of the hunt for the clubhouse lead as he reached the turn in two under after racking up five front-nine birdies.
But dropped shots at the third and eighth holes - his 12th and 17th after starting from No.10 - dragged the veteran back to level par, four shots adrift of Spaun.
Monday qualifier Leishman hit only three fairways but scrambled brilliantly to grab a share of 20th spot.
Mixing five front-nine birdies with three bogeys, 2013 Masters champion Scott's round was a topsy-turvy affair from the start.
The 34-year-old Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at The Players Championship in March, recorded his lowest ever round in a major to nab a one-stroke advantage over unheralded South African Thriston Lawrence.
Spaun, who started on the back nine, had a spectacular start reaching the turn with four birdies to become the first player ever to cover the first nine in the opening round of an Oakmont US Open in 31 strokes or fewer.
Two-time US Open winner since Brooks Koepka is well poised in a tie for third at two under with South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
Im got to five under to briefly enjoy the outright lead before three late bogeys left him to match Koepka's 68.
In-form Ben Griffin, fellow American James Nicholas and Belgian Thomas Detry, Spain's two-time major champ Jon Rahm and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen all posted 69s to be the only other players in red numbers.
The shot of the day was Patrick Reed's amazing second on the 621-yard fourth hole, which the former Masters champ holed from 286 yards for only the fourth albatross in US Open history.
With agencies
Golf's biggest names slipped up and most Australians perished in a typically rough start to the US Open at fearsome Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
American JJ Spaun produced a majestic bogey-free four-under 66 to claim a one-shot first-round lead as only 10 players in the 156-man field broke par on the Open rota's most difficult layout.There were shanks and air-swings from the savage rough as 16 players shot 80 or worse, including American qualifier George Duangmanee, who propped up the field with a 16-over-par 86.
Former world No.1 Adam Scott (70) and the resurgent Marc Leishman (71), playing his first major championship since the 2022 British Open, are the only Australians seemingly still in contention after Cam Davis (74), Cameron Smith (75), Jason Day (76) and Min Woo Lee (77) all struggled.
Heavyweights Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy also have work to do to make the halfway cut as Oakmont bared its teeth once more.
Tiger Woods is the only top-ranked player ever to win the Open at the brutal venue, and the curse of the world No.1 struck Scheffler, who could only manage a three-over 73 to be seven shots adrift of Spaun.
Pre-tournament second favourite DeChambeau also opened with a 73, while Masters champ McIlroy is one stroke further back, right on the cut line in a tie for 62nd, after shooting 41 on his inward nine.
"It got me," said defending champion DeChambeau.
"Even for a guy like me, I can't get out of it some of the times, depending on the lie. It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf."
Scott is tied for 11th after grinding out an even-par round despite suffering another dispiriting late lapse after a rousing early-morning effort on Thursday (Friday AEST).
The 44-year-old was right in the thick of the hunt for the clubhouse lead as he reached the turn in two under after racking up five front-nine birdies.
But dropped shots at the third and eighth holes - his 12th and 17th after starting from No.10 - dragged the veteran back to level par, four shots adrift of Spaun.
Monday qualifier Leishman hit only three fairways but scrambled brilliantly to grab a share of 20th spot.
Mixing five front-nine birdies with three bogeys, 2013 Masters champion Scott's round was a topsy-turvy affair from the start.
The 34-year-old Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at The Players Championship in March, recorded his lowest ever round in a major to nab a one-stroke advantage over unheralded South African Thriston Lawrence.
Spaun, who started on the back nine, had a spectacular start reaching the turn with four birdies to become the first player ever to cover the first nine in the opening round of an Oakmont US Open in 31 strokes or fewer.
Two-time US Open winner since Brooks Koepka is well poised in a tie for third at two under with South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
Im got to five under to briefly enjoy the outright lead before three late bogeys left him to match Koepka's 68.
In-form Ben Griffin, fellow American James Nicholas and Belgian Thomas Detry, Spain's two-time major champ Jon Rahm and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen all posted 69s to be the only other players in red numbers.
The shot of the day was Patrick Reed's amazing second on the 621-yard fourth hole, which the former Masters champ holed from 286 yards for only the fourth albatross in US Open history.
With agencies
Golf's biggest names slipped up and most Australians perished in a typically rough start to the US Open at fearsome Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
American JJ Spaun produced a majestic bogey-free four-under 66 to claim a one-shot first-round lead as only 10 players in the 156-man field broke par on the Open rota's most difficult layout.There were shanks and air-swings from the savage rough as 16 players shot 80 or worse, including American qualifier George Duangmanee, who propped up the field with a 16-over-par 86.
Former world No.1 Adam Scott (70) and the resurgent Marc Leishman (71), playing his first major championship since the 2022 British Open, are the only Australians seemingly still in contention after Cam Davis (74), Cameron Smith (75), Jason Day (76) and Min Woo Lee (77) all struggled.
Heavyweights Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy also have work to do to make the halfway cut as Oakmont bared its teeth once more.
Tiger Woods is the only top-ranked player ever to win the Open at the brutal venue, and the curse of the world No.1 struck Scheffler, who could only manage a three-over 73 to be seven shots adrift of Spaun.
Pre-tournament second favourite DeChambeau also opened with a 73, while Masters champ McIlroy is one stroke further back, right on the cut line in a tie for 62nd, after shooting 41 on his inward nine.
"It got me," said defending champion DeChambeau.
"Even for a guy like me, I can't get out of it some of the times, depending on the lie. It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf."
Scott is tied for 11th after grinding out an even-par round despite suffering another dispiriting late lapse after a rousing early-morning effort on Thursday (Friday AEST).
The 44-year-old was right in the thick of the hunt for the clubhouse lead as he reached the turn in two under after racking up five front-nine birdies.
But dropped shots at the third and eighth holes - his 12th and 17th after starting from No.10 - dragged the veteran back to level par, four shots adrift of Spaun.
Monday qualifier Leishman hit only three fairways but scrambled brilliantly to grab a share of 20th spot.
Mixing five front-nine birdies with three bogeys, 2013 Masters champion Scott's round was a topsy-turvy affair from the start.
The 34-year-old Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at The Players Championship in March, recorded his lowest ever round in a major to nab a one-stroke advantage over unheralded South African Thriston Lawrence.
Spaun, who started on the back nine, had a spectacular start reaching the turn with four birdies to become the first player ever to cover the first nine in the opening round of an Oakmont US Open in 31 strokes or fewer.
Two-time US Open winner since Brooks Koepka is well poised in a tie for third at two under with South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
Im got to five under to briefly enjoy the outright lead before three late bogeys left him to match Koepka's 68.
In-form Ben Griffin, fellow American James Nicholas and Belgian Thomas Detry, Spain's two-time major champ Jon Rahm and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen all posted 69s to be the only other players in red numbers.
The shot of the day was Patrick Reed's amazing second on the 621-yard fourth hole, which the former Masters champ holed from 286 yards for only the fourth albatross in US Open history.
With agencies
Golf's biggest names slipped up and most Australians perished in a typically rough start to the US Open at fearsome Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
American JJ Spaun produced a majestic bogey-free four-under 66 to claim a one-shot first-round lead as only 10 players in the 156-man field broke par on the Open rota's most difficult layout.There were shanks and air-swings from the savage rough as 16 players shot 80 or worse, including American qualifier George Duangmanee, who propped up the field with a 16-over-par 86.
Former world No.1 Adam Scott (70) and the resurgent Marc Leishman (71), playing his first major championship since the 2022 British Open, are the only Australians seemingly still in contention after Cam Davis (74), Cameron Smith (75), Jason Day (76) and Min Woo Lee (77) all struggled.
Heavyweights Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy also have work to do to make the halfway cut as Oakmont bared its teeth once more.
Tiger Woods is the only top-ranked player ever to win the Open at the brutal venue, and the curse of the world No.1 struck Scheffler, who could only manage a three-over 73 to be seven shots adrift of Spaun.
Pre-tournament second favourite DeChambeau also opened with a 73, while Masters champ McIlroy is one stroke further back, right on the cut line in a tie for 62nd, after shooting 41 on his inward nine.
"It got me," said defending champion DeChambeau.
"Even for a guy like me, I can't get out of it some of the times, depending on the lie. It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf."
Scott is tied for 11th after grinding out an even-par round despite suffering another dispiriting late lapse after a rousing early-morning effort on Thursday (Friday AEST).
The 44-year-old was right in the thick of the hunt for the clubhouse lead as he reached the turn in two under after racking up five front-nine birdies.
But dropped shots at the third and eighth holes - his 12th and 17th after starting from No.10 - dragged the veteran back to level par, four shots adrift of Spaun.
Monday qualifier Leishman hit only three fairways but scrambled brilliantly to grab a share of 20th spot.
Mixing five front-nine birdies with three bogeys, 2013 Masters champion Scott's round was a topsy-turvy affair from the start.
The 34-year-old Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at The Players Championship in March, recorded his lowest ever round in a major to nab a one-stroke advantage over unheralded South African Thriston Lawrence.
Spaun, who started on the back nine, had a spectacular start reaching the turn with four birdies to become the first player ever to cover the first nine in the opening round of an Oakmont US Open in 31 strokes or fewer.
Two-time US Open winner since Brooks Koepka is well poised in a tie for third at two under with South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
Im got to five under to briefly enjoy the outright lead before three late bogeys left him to match Koepka's 68.
In-form Ben Griffin, fellow American James Nicholas and Belgian Thomas Detry, Spain's two-time major champ Jon Rahm and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen all posted 69s to be the only other players in red numbers.
The shot of the day was Patrick Reed's amazing second on the 621-yard fourth hole, which the former Masters champ holed from 286 yards for only the fourth albatross in US Open history.
With agencies
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Daily Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
Adam Scott in contention at the US Open, Cameron Smith hits major career low
Don't miss out on the headlines from Golf. Followed categories will be added to My News. Adam Scott is among the contenders at the half way mark but it was Jason Day who got the better of Oakmont in the second round as Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee missed the cut at the US Open. Scott sits in fourth place at even par overall, three shots behind leader Sam Burns after a second successive round of 70. The 2013 Masters champion will be joined on the weekend by Day (+3), who shot the equal second best round of the day with a three-under par 67 to move into a share of 12th, Marc Leishman (+6) and Cam Davis (+7). Adam Scott is in contention at the US Open. Picture: Warren Little / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP Watch every round of the 2025 US Open LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo. | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. As his scorecards suggest, Scott has been one of the most consistent golfers across the opening 36 holes on a brutal layout that contributes to wild fluctuations in scoring for most of the field. 'I guess I would have expected to be in this position if you said even par through two rounds,' Scott said. 'It's just hard out there. It's hard to keep it going when guys have got on a run. It seems like they've come back a bit. 'I'm playing old-man-par golf at the moment.' The 44-year-old made three birdies for the day, including one to kick-off his round at the first hole – where he stuck his second shot from 212 yards out on the long par 4 to a little more than six feet from the hole. He drained a near 22-footer for birdie at the par 4 tenth, and stuck a wedge to roughly six feet at the short par 4 14th to set up another birdie. Scott was once again impressive off the tee and with his irons, hitting nine of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens in regulation. His iron play had been letting him down of late, he even said it was the worst part of his game, but rediscovering his groove has him buoyant about his chances of claiming a second major title. Scott, who is playing in his 96th successive major, was asked if that feat goes underappreciated, and said that 'maybe it does'. 'But I'd be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend,' he added. 'Right now, that's really what I'm here to do, and I feel like there's probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better. 'But I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year. I feel like this is what I've been working towards. Adam Scott during the second round of the 125th U.S. Open. Picture:'I was kind of in the mix late at the PGA, and now kind of putting myself in this one for the weekend. It's a long way to go, but I feel like my game is in good enough shape to do this.' Scott was then asked how energised he was to be in this position at his age, to which he said, 'I have a put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it's all said and done.' 'HOW I USED TO DO IT': DAY'S OLD SCHOOL MOVE Only Burns' second round 65 and overnight leader J.J. Spaun's opening round 66 bettered Jason Day's 67. The former world No. 1 fired four birdies and an eagle as he was back to his best after dealing with troublesome wrist and neck injuries in recent times. The eagle came at the par 5 12th, his third hole of the day, as Day drained a 20-foot putt after launching a 3-wood from more than 300 yards out onto the green. Two holes later, he stuck a wedge to tap-in range for birdie at the 14th and chipped to inside five feet to set up another birdie at another short par 4, the 17th. Back-to-back birdies courtesy of a pearler of a tee shot at the par 3 sixth and holing a near 25-footer at the par 4 seventh then wrestled back momentum in the late stages of his round. The 2015 PGA champion was pleased with his work on the greens as he needed only 27 putts for the round with help from his stellar short game. 'Putted a lot better today. Obviously I hit it nice on the front side, which was the back side,' Day said. 'I got into a little bit of trouble kind of midway round. Just didn't, just started missing a few greens. 'Then kind of settled it a little bit with a birdie on 6 and 7 for me. So that was, it was a big day to come back and shoot 3-under to make the cut.' Jason Day looks on from the 18th green at the U.S. Open. Picture:Day's change in fortunes with the flat stick came after some old school improvisation after the feel and look was off. 'I bent my putter. Yeah, no, I just manually bent it myself. Stood on it,' he said. 'That's kind of how I used to do it back in the day. 'It just hadn't been looking very good to me personally, kind of looks a little bit hooded, the grip's on a little bit closed too, so that's not a positive for me. 'But I bent it enough to make it look more open, which is good.' Jason Day lines up a putt on the second green at Oakmont. Picture: Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP As for his chances across the weekend, Day is confident he can continue to make up ground after a disappointing opening round of 76. 'I feel like you're going to make bogeys out here and try and get the birdies when you can,' he said. '3-over right now, if I can just keep climbing the leaderboard, get into contention on Sunday that would be great.' In his first major since 2022, Marc Leishman advanced to the weekend despite shooting the worst round of the day among his countrymen with a 75. Marc Leishman collapsed in the second round but still made the weekend. Picture: Getty Images via AFP Leishman's first round 71 had him well-placed but then he held his nerve to make the cut across the back nine after reaching the turn in 40. Meanwhile, Cam Davis made the cut on the number with a second round 73. Davis bogeyed his second last hole to put himself under the pump, but calmly two-putted for par at the par 4 ninth, his final hole, to advance. Cam Davis also advanced to the weekend. Picture: Getty Images via AFP 'A LITTLE TOO LATE': SMITH'S WORST RUN CONTINUES Cameron Smith will not play the weekend for the fourth straight major championship. The 2022 Open champion is officially in the worst stretch of his career in the majors after missing the cut by two shots at +8. Smith signed off on a second round 73 that included a back nine fight back in a last-ditch attempt to salvage his tournament. The LIV star made birdies at 11, 14, 15 and 17, but a front nine of 41, which included a three-putt triple bogey at the first, and bogeys at the 16th proved too costly. Cameron Smith did not make the cut. Picture: Getty Images via AFP Smith hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation in the second round, but his much-lauded putting deserted him around the 36 holes, taking 63 putts which ranked him 138th out of a field of 156. 'We've all known about his driver struggles but it's that club in the bag that has kind of left him,' former Australian professional James Nitties said on commentary. 'We all know how good of a putter he is and he's doing it now (on the back nine), but it's a little too late.' Min Woo Lee also did not make the weekend. Picture: Getty Images via AFP Min Woo Lee also finished one shot worse at +9, but was much improved in his second round with a 72. The 26-year-old simply made life too difficult for himself after a first round 77 and missed the cut for the second straight major. Originally published as Adam Scott in contention at the US Open, Cameron Smith officially hits major career low
News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Adam Scott in contention at the US Open, Cameron Smith officially hits major career low
Adam Scott is among the contenders at the half way mark but it was Jason Day who got the better of Oakmont in the second round as Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee missed the cut at the US Open. Scott sits in fourth place at even par overall, three shots behind leader Sam Burns after a second successive round of 70. The 2013 Masters champion will be joined on the weekend by Day (+3), who shot the equal second best round of the day with a three-under par 67 to move into a share of 12th, Marc Leishman (+6) and Cam Davis (+7). Watch every round of the 2025 US Open LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo. | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. As his scorecards suggest, Scott has been one of the most consistent golfers across the opening 36 holes on a brutal layout that contributes to wild fluctuations in scoring for most of the field. 'I guess I would have expected to be in this position if you said even par through two rounds,' Scott said. 'It's just hard out there. It's hard to keep it going when guys have got on a run. It seems like they've come back a bit. 'I'm playing old-man-par golf at the moment.' “I’m playing old-man-par golf at the moment.â€� 🤣 Adam Scott is the only player in the field without an over-par round at the @usopengolf. — PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) June 13, 2025 The 44-year-old made three birdies for the day, including one to kick-off his round at the first hole – where he stuck his second shot from 212 yards out on the long par 4 to a little more than six feet from the hole. He drained a near 22-footer for birdie at the par 4 tenth, and stuck a wedge to roughly six feet at the short par 4 14th to set up another birdie. Scott was once again impressive off the tee and with his irons, hitting nine of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens in regulation. His iron play had been letting him down of late, he even said it was the worst part of his game, but rediscovering his groove has him buoyant about his chances of claiming a second major title. Scott, who is playing in his 96th successive major, was asked if that feat goes underappreciated, and said that 'maybe it does'. Adam Scott still *very* much in this thing. Remains even par and just three off the lead. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 13, 2025 'But I'd be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend,' he added. 'Right now, that's really what I'm here to do, and I feel like there's probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better. 'But I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year. I feel like this is what I've been working towards. 'I was kind of in the mix late at the PGA, and now kind of putting myself in this one for the weekend. It's a long way to go, but I feel like my game is in good enough shape to do this.' Scott was then asked how energised he was to be in this position at his age, to which he said, 'I have a put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it's all said and done.' Adam Scott will win this thing. That gives him 5 year major exemption + Open next month which will take his consecutive majors total to 117. Needs 147 to top Jack. He’ll be 57 then and probably better looking than now and hitting it further than now. — Ewan Porter (@ewanports) June 13, 2025 'HOW I USED TO DO IT': DAY'S OLD SCHOOL MOVE Only Burns' second round 65 and overnight leader J.J. Spaun's opening round 66 bettered Jason Day's 67. The former world No. 1 fired four birdies and an eagle as he was back to his best after dealing with troublesome wrist and neck injuries in recent times. The eagle came at the par 5 12th, his third hole of the day, as Day drained a 20-foot putt after launching a 3-wood from more than 300 yards out onto the green. Two holes later, he stuck a wedge to tap-in range for birdie at the 14th and chipped to inside five feet to set up another birdie at another short par 4, the 17th. Back-to-back birdies courtesy of a pearler of a tee shot at the par 3 sixth and holing a near 25-footer at the par 4 seventh then wrestled back momentum in the late stages of his round. Jason Day is the first to eagle No. 12 in this year's championship 🇦🇰 The Aussie gets to 5 over par. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 13, 2025 The 2015 PGA champion was pleased with his work on the greens as he needed only 27 putts for the round with help from his stellar short game. 'Putted a lot better today. Obviously I hit it nice on the front side, which was the back side,' Day said. 'I got into a little bit of trouble kind of midway round. Just didn't, just started missing a few greens. 'Then kind of settled it a little bit with a birdie on 6 and 7 for me. So that was, it was a big day to come back and shoot 3-under to make the cut.' Day's change in fortunes with the flat stick came after some old school improvisation after the feel and look was off. 'I bent my putter. Yeah, no, I just manually bent it myself. Stood on it,' he said. 'That's kind of how I used to do it back in the day. 'It just hadn't been looking very good to me personally, kind of looks a little bit hooded, the grip's on a little bit closed too, so that's not a positive for me. 'But I bent it enough to make it look more open, which is good.' As for his chances across the weekend, Day is confident he can continue to make up ground after a disappointing opening round of 76. 'I feel like you're going to make bogeys out here and try and get the birdies when you can,' he said. '3-over right now, if I can just keep climbing the leaderboard, get into contention on Sunday that would be great.' In his first major since 2022, Marc Leishman advanced to the weekend despite shooting the worst round of the day among his countrymen with a 75. Leishman's first round 71 had him well-placed but then he held his nerve to make the cut across the back nine after reaching the turn in 40. Meanwhile, Cam Davis made the cut on the number with a second round 73. Davis bogeyed his second last hole to put himself under the pump, but calmly two-putted for par at the par 4 ninth, his final hole, to advance. 'A LITTLE TOO LATE': SMITH'S WORST RUN CONTINUES Cameron Smith will not play the weekend for the fourth straight major championship. The 2022 Open champion is officially in the worst stretch of his career in the majors after missing the cut by two shots at +8. Smith signed off on a second round 73 that included a back nine fight back in a last-ditch attempt to salvage his tournament. The LIV star made birdies at 11, 14, 15 and 17, but a front nine of 41, which included a three-putt triple bogey at the first, and bogeys at the 16th proved too costly. Smith hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation in the second round, but his much-lauded putting deserted him around the 36 holes, taking 63 putts which ranked him 138th out of a field of 156. 'We've all known about his driver struggles but it's that club in the bag that has kind of left him,' former Australian professional James Nitties said on commentary. 'We all know how good of a putter he is and he's doing it now (on the back nine), but it's a little too late.' Min Woo Lee also finished one shot worse at +9, but was much improved in his second round with a 72. The 26-year-old simply made life too difficult for himself after a first round 77 and missed the cut for the second straight major.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Surging Scott, J Day in US Open mix as superstars crash
True to his word, Adam Scott has hung tough to storm right into contention as a raft of golfing heavyweights floundered during the US Open second round at the beastly Oakmont Country Club. While defending champion Bryson DeChambeau led the exodus of big names to miss the halfway cut, Scott carved out a second straight even-par round of 70 to be tied fourth in the clubhouse. Contesting his 96th consecutive major, 44-year-old Scott showed the younger stars how to play major championship golf, repeatedly rebounding from bogeys with birdies to sit just three shots off the pace at the halfway mark of the tournament. Sam Burns fired the low round of the championship, a brilliant five-under 65 to snare the clubhouse lead at three under. Fellow American and first-round leader JJ Spaun is second, one stroke behind Burns, after following up his starting 66 with a 72 on Friday (Saturday AEST). Seeking his maiden major, Norwegian super talent Viktor Hovland is the only other player above Scott on the leaderboard and one of only three players in red numbers at one under after posting a second-round 70. Scott's fellow former world No.1 Jason Day battled back into the picture with the second-lowest round of the day to also raise hopes of a famous Australian triumph at the US Open's most gruelling venue. Former PGA champ Day was way off the pace after his opening round of 76 but demonstrated his enduring class with a three-under 67 to get back to three over for the tournament, just six shots back entering the weekend in a tie for 13th. Day's round, which began at the 10th hole, was ignited by a terrific eagle at his third hole - the gigantic par-five 12th that measures 647 yards. He struck his approach from 323 yards to 20 feet from the hole and sank the eagle putt. Two birdies quickly followed in the next five holes. His biggest disappointment as he looked set to finish with a 66 after two more birdies on the homeward nine was his wayward drive at the ninth that led to an anti-climactic final bogey. Burns, who shot a final-round 62 on Sunday at the Canadian Open before losing in a play-off, also started his second round on the back nine and birdied 11, 13, 17 and 18. He responded to his lone bogey at the first hole by putting his approach at the next hole to about six feet. American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler had five bogeys and four birdies in his 71 to be left at four over, alongside countryman Collin Morikawa (71) and fellow dual major winner Jon Rahm, who exploded after shooting a 75. The second-round spoiler left the superstar Spaniard seven shots adrift of Burns. "Honestly, I'm too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective," Rahm said. "Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn't sniff the hole, so it's frustrating." Masters champion Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole in a round of 72 to be six under and just inside the cut line. Australian Marc Leishman, who had begun promisingly with a 71, suffered in his second round with a 75 that included a double-bogey six at the ninth hole to also hover at six over. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field, started his day two shots off the pace but dropped back after a 74 that featured eight bogeys. After out-duelling McIlroy down the stretch to reign last year at Pinehurst, DeChambeau won't feature on the weekend after slumping to 10 over with a second-round 77. At nine over following rounds of 77 and 72, Australian Min Woo Lee was also sent packing, along with dual major winner Justin Thomas, 2016 Oakmont champion Dustin Johnson, fellow former world No.1 Justin Rose, LIV Golf dominator Joaquin Niemann and Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg. Incredibly, Johnson and Niemann were among some 60 players to finish at 10 over or worse, with American George Duangmanee racking up a +35 total with horror rounds of 86 and 89. With agencies True to his word, Adam Scott has hung tough to storm right into contention as a raft of golfing heavyweights floundered during the US Open second round at the beastly Oakmont Country Club. While defending champion Bryson DeChambeau led the exodus of big names to miss the halfway cut, Scott carved out a second straight even-par round of 70 to be tied fourth in the clubhouse. Contesting his 96th consecutive major, 44-year-old Scott showed the younger stars how to play major championship golf, repeatedly rebounding from bogeys with birdies to sit just three shots off the pace at the halfway mark of the tournament. Sam Burns fired the low round of the championship, a brilliant five-under 65 to snare the clubhouse lead at three under. Fellow American and first-round leader JJ Spaun is second, one stroke behind Burns, after following up his starting 66 with a 72 on Friday (Saturday AEST). Seeking his maiden major, Norwegian super talent Viktor Hovland is the only other player above Scott on the leaderboard and one of only three players in red numbers at one under after posting a second-round 70. Scott's fellow former world No.1 Jason Day battled back into the picture with the second-lowest round of the day to also raise hopes of a famous Australian triumph at the US Open's most gruelling venue. Former PGA champ Day was way off the pace after his opening round of 76 but demonstrated his enduring class with a three-under 67 to get back to three over for the tournament, just six shots back entering the weekend in a tie for 13th. Day's round, which began at the 10th hole, was ignited by a terrific eagle at his third hole - the gigantic par-five 12th that measures 647 yards. He struck his approach from 323 yards to 20 feet from the hole and sank the eagle putt. Two birdies quickly followed in the next five holes. His biggest disappointment as he looked set to finish with a 66 after two more birdies on the homeward nine was his wayward drive at the ninth that led to an anti-climactic final bogey. Burns, who shot a final-round 62 on Sunday at the Canadian Open before losing in a play-off, also started his second round on the back nine and birdied 11, 13, 17 and 18. He responded to his lone bogey at the first hole by putting his approach at the next hole to about six feet. American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler had five bogeys and four birdies in his 71 to be left at four over, alongside countryman Collin Morikawa (71) and fellow dual major winner Jon Rahm, who exploded after shooting a 75. The second-round spoiler left the superstar Spaniard seven shots adrift of Burns. "Honestly, I'm too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective," Rahm said. "Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn't sniff the hole, so it's frustrating." Masters champion Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole in a round of 72 to be six under and just inside the cut line. Australian Marc Leishman, who had begun promisingly with a 71, suffered in his second round with a 75 that included a double-bogey six at the ninth hole to also hover at six over. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field, started his day two shots off the pace but dropped back after a 74 that featured eight bogeys. After out-duelling McIlroy down the stretch to reign last year at Pinehurst, DeChambeau won't feature on the weekend after slumping to 10 over with a second-round 77. At nine over following rounds of 77 and 72, Australian Min Woo Lee was also sent packing, along with dual major winner Justin Thomas, 2016 Oakmont champion Dustin Johnson, fellow former world No.1 Justin Rose, LIV Golf dominator Joaquin Niemann and Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg. Incredibly, Johnson and Niemann were among some 60 players to finish at 10 over or worse, with American George Duangmanee racking up a +35 total with horror rounds of 86 and 89. With agencies True to his word, Adam Scott has hung tough to storm right into contention as a raft of golfing heavyweights floundered during the US Open second round at the beastly Oakmont Country Club. While defending champion Bryson DeChambeau led the exodus of big names to miss the halfway cut, Scott carved out a second straight even-par round of 70 to be tied fourth in the clubhouse. Contesting his 96th consecutive major, 44-year-old Scott showed the younger stars how to play major championship golf, repeatedly rebounding from bogeys with birdies to sit just three shots off the pace at the halfway mark of the tournament. Sam Burns fired the low round of the championship, a brilliant five-under 65 to snare the clubhouse lead at three under. Fellow American and first-round leader JJ Spaun is second, one stroke behind Burns, after following up his starting 66 with a 72 on Friday (Saturday AEST). Seeking his maiden major, Norwegian super talent Viktor Hovland is the only other player above Scott on the leaderboard and one of only three players in red numbers at one under after posting a second-round 70. Scott's fellow former world No.1 Jason Day battled back into the picture with the second-lowest round of the day to also raise hopes of a famous Australian triumph at the US Open's most gruelling venue. Former PGA champ Day was way off the pace after his opening round of 76 but demonstrated his enduring class with a three-under 67 to get back to three over for the tournament, just six shots back entering the weekend in a tie for 13th. Day's round, which began at the 10th hole, was ignited by a terrific eagle at his third hole - the gigantic par-five 12th that measures 647 yards. He struck his approach from 323 yards to 20 feet from the hole and sank the eagle putt. Two birdies quickly followed in the next five holes. His biggest disappointment as he looked set to finish with a 66 after two more birdies on the homeward nine was his wayward drive at the ninth that led to an anti-climactic final bogey. Burns, who shot a final-round 62 on Sunday at the Canadian Open before losing in a play-off, also started his second round on the back nine and birdied 11, 13, 17 and 18. He responded to his lone bogey at the first hole by putting his approach at the next hole to about six feet. American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler had five bogeys and four birdies in his 71 to be left at four over, alongside countryman Collin Morikawa (71) and fellow dual major winner Jon Rahm, who exploded after shooting a 75. The second-round spoiler left the superstar Spaniard seven shots adrift of Burns. "Honestly, I'm too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective," Rahm said. "Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn't sniff the hole, so it's frustrating." Masters champion Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole in a round of 72 to be six under and just inside the cut line. Australian Marc Leishman, who had begun promisingly with a 71, suffered in his second round with a 75 that included a double-bogey six at the ninth hole to also hover at six over. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field, started his day two shots off the pace but dropped back after a 74 that featured eight bogeys. After out-duelling McIlroy down the stretch to reign last year at Pinehurst, DeChambeau won't feature on the weekend after slumping to 10 over with a second-round 77. At nine over following rounds of 77 and 72, Australian Min Woo Lee was also sent packing, along with dual major winner Justin Thomas, 2016 Oakmont champion Dustin Johnson, fellow former world No.1 Justin Rose, LIV Golf dominator Joaquin Niemann and Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg. Incredibly, Johnson and Niemann were among some 60 players to finish at 10 over or worse, with American George Duangmanee racking up a +35 total with horror rounds of 86 and 89. With agencies True to his word, Adam Scott has hung tough to storm right into contention as a raft of golfing heavyweights floundered during the US Open second round at the beastly Oakmont Country Club. While defending champion Bryson DeChambeau led the exodus of big names to miss the halfway cut, Scott carved out a second straight even-par round of 70 to be tied fourth in the clubhouse. Contesting his 96th consecutive major, 44-year-old Scott showed the younger stars how to play major championship golf, repeatedly rebounding from bogeys with birdies to sit just three shots off the pace at the halfway mark of the tournament. Sam Burns fired the low round of the championship, a brilliant five-under 65 to snare the clubhouse lead at three under. Fellow American and first-round leader JJ Spaun is second, one stroke behind Burns, after following up his starting 66 with a 72 on Friday (Saturday AEST). Seeking his maiden major, Norwegian super talent Viktor Hovland is the only other player above Scott on the leaderboard and one of only three players in red numbers at one under after posting a second-round 70. Scott's fellow former world No.1 Jason Day battled back into the picture with the second-lowest round of the day to also raise hopes of a famous Australian triumph at the US Open's most gruelling venue. Former PGA champ Day was way off the pace after his opening round of 76 but demonstrated his enduring class with a three-under 67 to get back to three over for the tournament, just six shots back entering the weekend in a tie for 13th. Day's round, which began at the 10th hole, was ignited by a terrific eagle at his third hole - the gigantic par-five 12th that measures 647 yards. He struck his approach from 323 yards to 20 feet from the hole and sank the eagle putt. Two birdies quickly followed in the next five holes. His biggest disappointment as he looked set to finish with a 66 after two more birdies on the homeward nine was his wayward drive at the ninth that led to an anti-climactic final bogey. Burns, who shot a final-round 62 on Sunday at the Canadian Open before losing in a play-off, also started his second round on the back nine and birdied 11, 13, 17 and 18. He responded to his lone bogey at the first hole by putting his approach at the next hole to about six feet. American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler had five bogeys and four birdies in his 71 to be left at four over, alongside countryman Collin Morikawa (71) and fellow dual major winner Jon Rahm, who exploded after shooting a 75. The second-round spoiler left the superstar Spaniard seven shots adrift of Burns. "Honestly, I'm too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective," Rahm said. "Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn't sniff the hole, so it's frustrating." Masters champion Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole in a round of 72 to be six under and just inside the cut line. Australian Marc Leishman, who had begun promisingly with a 71, suffered in his second round with a 75 that included a double-bogey six at the ninth hole to also hover at six over. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field, started his day two shots off the pace but dropped back after a 74 that featured eight bogeys. After out-duelling McIlroy down the stretch to reign last year at Pinehurst, DeChambeau won't feature on the weekend after slumping to 10 over with a second-round 77. At nine over following rounds of 77 and 72, Australian Min Woo Lee was also sent packing, along with dual major winner Justin Thomas, 2016 Oakmont champion Dustin Johnson, fellow former world No.1 Justin Rose, LIV Golf dominator Joaquin Niemann and Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg. Incredibly, Johnson and Niemann were among some 60 players to finish at 10 over or worse, with American George Duangmanee racking up a +35 total with horror rounds of 86 and 89. With agencies
