US Open second round – Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry off to disastrous start in cut battle at Oakmont
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Today at 12:30
The US Open continues today at the unforgiving Oakmont course in Pennsylvania.
Irish hopefuls Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have been paired together for the first two rounds but struggled on day one posting +4 and +9 respectively and will need big improvements today to make the cut.
Follow all the action as it happens here.
US Open Leaderboard - Day 2:
J.J. Spaun -4 (7)
Thriston Lawrence -4 (2*)
Sam Burns -3 (65)
Ben Griffin -2 (2)
Viktor Hovland -1 (68)
Si Woo Kim E (4)
Selected others:
Xander Schauffele +1 (5)
Rory McIlroy +8 (4)
Shane Lowry +14 (4)
8 minutes ago
All three players par the fifth!
It's the first time today that all three pars come away with a par as they all find the green and two-putt for par.
It's been a brutal front nine for the Ryder Cup heroes.
9 minutes ago
Watch: MacIntyre chips in for birdie!
Sky Sports Golf on Twitter / X
Robert MacIntyre chips in from the rough for birdie 👏 pic.twitter.com/MPSwwOKLp4— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 13, 2025
13 minutes ago
Thriston Lawrence joins the lead as Spaun bogeys 7
The South African birdies the 11th, his second and Spaun makes a bogey and he has finally been joined in the lead by Lawrence.
15 minutes ago
Watch: Justin Rose's shot hit a mobility scooter. Sums up this groups day.
Sky Sports Golf on Twitter / X
Justin Rose's ball goes BACKWARDS after hitting the tree 😱 pic.twitter.com/gp9GYRB1qh— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 13, 2025
26 minutes ago
Par for McIlroy on the par-five, three-putt bogey for Shane Lowry
Rory's driving iron finds the bunker near the flag and his bunker shot is not his best and the 10-footer for birdie slips by. A dissappointing par. The cut looks like it will move to seven-over-par so Rory will need a rest of the round to make the weekend.
It's getting worse for Lowry who hits a great approach to five-feet, but it's three putts and a bogey to move the Clara man to 14-over-par.
34 minutes ago
Spaun extends his lead
It's brilliant golf from Spaun who birdies the par-three sixth to move two clear of Burns and Lawrence.
44 minutes ago
Rory finally finds a fairway on the fourth!
No repeat of yesterday for McIlroy who finds the fairway with a 346 yard 3-wood, 276 to go into the par-five.
Lowry's drive is right and finds the right rough and as we learned with McIlroy yesterday, that is a grim spot to be.
50 minutes ago
Double for Mcilroy on three, another bogey for Lowry
It's a grim outlook for the two friends as McIlroy fails to get up-and-down for his bogey and it's a double.
Lowry fails to make par for the third hole in a row and they are a combined eight-over-par through three holes.
Ouch.
59 minutes ago
More bunker trouble for McIlroy
Another drive finds the bunker for Rory, and his wedge hits the lip and pops into the deep rough.
He'll do well do make bogey as his third finds the rough over the back of the green.
Today 02:16 PM
Spaun chips off the fourth green, makes birdie to take the lead again
Spauns second on the par five fourth finds an awkward spot and he decides to chip off the green. Every greenkeepers nightmare!
He does well and his birdie putt goes down, and Spaun retakes the lead.
Today 02:14 PM
Par for McIlroy on 2, Double Bogey for Lowry
Rory's chip goes past the hole and his downhill 8 footer slides past. He cleans up for par, but that will be frustrating.
Lowry's poor wedge shot leads to a double bogey and his hopes of making the cut are slipping away.
Today 02:02 PM
Not ideal for the world number two
Sky Sports Golf on Twitter / X
A NIGHTMARE start for Rory McIlroy 😬 pic.twitter.com/oVy7RHJWsd— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 13, 2025
Today 01:55 PM
Chance for McIlroy to get one back at the second
That's more like it for Rory as he bombs a perfect drive just short of the second green. Up-and-down for birdie to a pin right in the back of the green.
Lowry takes an iron and safely finds the fairway. That's more like it!
Today 01:52 PM
What will the cut be
+6 is looking most likely right now but anything can happen.
RORY FANS on Twitter / X
Plenty of golf https://t.co/WTLpKbfsg7 pic.twitter.com/Z2nDR3KTSe— RORY FANS (@rory_fans) June 13, 2025
Today 01:51 PM
JJ Spaun drops his first shot of the week
The leaders magical bogey-free run comes to an end on the third hole in round two and the lead is now three-under-par.
Ben Griffin birdies the second and moves to two-under-par.
Today 01:48 PM
Oakmont bites Rory on the first with a double-bogey.
The ball was buried, and he hacks it out to 17 feet, but the putt slides by, and it's a double for McIlroy, which moves him to six-over-par and straight into cut-watch.
It's a very costly opening hole for both the Irishmen, as Shane Lowry drops a shot and moves to 10-over-par.
Today 01:45 PM
We have a hole-in-one
Take a bow Victor!
Sky Sports Golf on Twitter / X
The first ACE of the week 🤩Take a bow, Victor Perez 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kIKckt4Qmn— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 13, 2025
Today 01:41 PM
Bunker trouble for Rory on the first
The ball was right up the lip, and he hits a very poor pitch out, which finds the deep rough. His third rolls down the fairway onto the green, but it finds the rough left of the green. Up and down for bogey needed on one. Far from an ideal start.
Lowry's approach goes over the back of this treacherous green, which tilts severely from back to front.
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Rory McIlroy counting down hours to end Oakmont grueller
Rory McIlroy admits he would have been happy to miss the cut after suffering more Oakmont punishment at the US Open. The Northern Irishman scrambled two birdies in the final four holes during Friday's second round to book his weekend stay but revealed he would have not have minded going home. That feeling was even more prevalent after another bruising round on 'moving day', where the only direction he was heading was down. Trouble was never far away as he made six bogeys in a round of 74 and when his par-putt kissed the lips of the hole from three and a half feet and went out on the 14th, he was seen quietly mouthing an expletive, presumably telling the Oakmont course exactly where to go. He sits near the foot of the leaderboard at 10-over-par and is counting down the hours until he can go home. Asked what his expectations were for Sunday's final round, he said: "Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here. "I actually feel like I've played OK this week." "It's funny, it's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not. "I was sort of thinking, 'Do I really want two more days here or not'? So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset. "I actually feel like I've played OK this week. It's a golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised a lot and that's sort of how it's felt this week. "The name of the game this week is staying patient and try to do a good job of it out there, but it's one of those golf courses that you can lose patience on pretty quickly." McIlroy spoke having skipped media duties after the last six rounds of major tournaments, putting it down to frustration at the reporting of his driver failing a 'non-conforming' test during the PGA Championship last month. With media duties voluntary and not a requirement he insists he has earned the right to choose when he speaks. "It's more a frustration with you guys," he said. "I've been totally available for the last few years. "(The driver) thing was a part of it. But at Augusta I skipped you guys on Thursday, so it's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before; I'm just doing it a little more often. "I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do. "I'm not daring them (the PGA Tour) to do anything. I hope they don't change it because it's a nice luxury to have.
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Brilliant Leinster hammer the Bulls to claim first URC title
Leinster 32 Bulls 7 LEINSTER HAVE HAD more than their fair share of heartbreak at the point end of competitions in the last four years, so URC victory will taste sweet tonight in Dublin. Leo Cullen's side were dominant in victory over the Bulls in front of 46,127 people at Croke Park. Their ruthless attack produced four tries and Jacques Nienaber's defence came up trumps as Leinster largely shut the Bulls down. This was about as dominant a win as you'll see in a final. Even when the Bulls threatened to come back into the contest in the second half, Cullen's men showed composure to regain control and finish strong. There were doubts about Leinster's ability to manage their emotions on big occasions like this one, but Cullen's men took a big step towards dispelling them today. It is their first trophy since the Pro14 title back in 2021, a victory which took place in front of an empty stadium. Leinster have obviously won lots of league titles before that too, but this one is arguably most impressive of all. It might seem natural to place this victory alongside those previous wins but the reality is that the URC is a better competition than what came before. The four South African sides have made it harder to win, so this probably goes down as their best title success. Leinster have put their fans through the wringer with fraught, nerve-shredding knock-out games in recent years, but this was different. Their brilliant start meant it would take a sensational Bulls comeback to turn it around. Andrew Porter celebrates. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO At half time, Leinster fans surely believed. And while there was that second-half period when the Bulls got something of a foothold, this was a dominant Leinster performance overall. And it was also different because Leinster won. Their pack delivered a physically brutal performance. Blindside flanker Ryan Baird was outstanding in that regard, continuing his excellent recent form, while skipper Jack Conan led by example throughout. James Ryan and Joe McCarthy were relentless in the second row before RG Snyman impacted off the bench, while the Leinster front row had a very happy day indeed. The Bulls had their good moments in the scrum but Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Thomas Clarkson had more. 25-year-old Clarkson was particularly impressive as he backed up last weekend's excellent showing against Glasgow with another potent display, while Porter was at his momentum-swinging best. 22-year-old out-half Sam Prendergast had one of his best game for Leinster, directing play with confidence, and defending with intent. His first-half hit on Bulls flanker Marco van Staden was a highlight, as was a stunning spiral 50:22 kick. There was one frustrating miss off the tee but it was a quality performance. Advertisement Leinster fans watch on in Croke Park. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO The experienced Luke McGrath had to step into the starting XV after injury ruled Jamison Gibson-Park out at a late stage, and he was excellent. Outside the halfbacks, Jordie Barrett was a big influence and bagged a nice try. The Kiwi centre is pure class and has been a joy to watch in the flesh. Leinster were missing some key men today – Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Hugo Keenan, Robbie Henshaw, Gibson-Park – perhaps making this even sweeter. Jake White's Bulls were a clear second best, outpunched and outthought by Cullen and Nienaber's plan. They could have been reduced to 14 men in the first half when centre Harold Vorster had an anxious wait as the match officials reviewed his hand raking across Joe McCarthy's face, but was only punished with a penalty. The Bulls had one brief spell of quality in the second half but they will rue their inability to pressure Leinster until it was too late. World Cup-winning fullback Willie le Roux's woes were symptomatic of their horrid evening in Dublin. Leinster were the best team in the URC regular season and now they are the URC champions. That the title was earned with a convincing performance will make tonight's celebrations all the more enjoyable. Jack Conan opens the scoring for Leinster. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO With a renewed downpour arriving just in time for kick-off, Leinster instantly showed mastery of the conditions as Barrett rolled a smart left-footed grubber behind the Bulls, drawing a knock-on from Johan Goosen. The Leinster pack earned a scrum penalty, they kicked into the 22, and emerged with a sixth-minute try for Conan, who smashed over from close range. The Bulls might soon have dropped to 14 players as referee Andrea Piardi reviewed Harold Vorster potentially making contact with Joe McCarthy's eye area. The Italian referee opted for a penalty only. Vorster must have been a relieved man. Leinster kept their foot on the accelerator and Barrett was over in the 11th minute. Scrum-half McGrath dinked a clever chip in behind the Bulls and Barrett surged forward to volley it on the bounce, then won the race to dot down. Having nailed his first conversion, Prendergast made it 14-0. The Bulls were rattled, le Roux nearly handing them another score with a wild kick near his own line, and Leinster didn't let up. A classy offload from Conan down the right led to a penalty they nudged into the corner, from where Josh van der Flier crossed off the maul. Having earned a handsome 19-0 lead, Leinster closed out the half by showing their muscular defensive qualities. The Bulls went through 18 phases in the Leinster 22 at one stage to no avail, with le Roux kicking straight to Prendergast in desperation after his forwards had failed to make a dent. Jordie Barrett scored Leinster's second. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO And the first half finished with something similar. Leinster's superb double tackles shut the Bulls out over 14 phases before le Roux threw a forward pass trying to make something happen. Leinster sprinted off for half time with Baird beckoning for more noise from the home fans. The sun appeared just before the restart and Leinster celebrated by winning another scrum penalty that Prendergast popped over for 22-0. Another sickening little blow for the Bulls. Snyman was on by now and quickly came up with a lineout steal. But Leinster's discipline soon started to slip, inviting the Bulls down into their 22 where the visitors finally fired a shot to send replacement hooker Akker van der Merwe over for a try off the back of a maul. And suddenly, the momentum threatened to swing away from Leinster as the Bulls won two scrum penalties, so often the source of their energy. Cullen's men needed to respond in kind. He sent on Rónan Kelleher and Rabah Slimani in the front row and they combined with Porter to win a scrum penalty back. So Leinster marched into the Bulls' 22 as the game headed into the final quarter. At 22-7, a score probably would have finished it there and then. Yet twice Leinster knocked on with the tryline in sight and then when they opted to go for goal, Prendergast missed a very kickable penalty. Sam Prendergast had a fine game for Leinster. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Prendergast got another chance in a more central position a few minutes later and landed his shot with 13 minutes left to play. It was the young out-half's final act as he made way for the departing Ross Byrne, who came on with academy scrum-half Fintan Gunne. And Byrne showed his class with a cracking assist for Gunne off a scrum in the Bulls 22, beautifully delaying a pass out the back for Gunne on a wraparound. The 21-year-old halfback had the speed and strength to finish wide on the right. Typically, Byrne converted. That signalled the start of the celebrations. A big night beckons. Leinster fans have been waiting for this. Leinster scorers: Tries: Jack Conan, Jordie Barrett, Josh van der Flier, Fintan Gunne Conversions: Sam Prendergast [2 from 3], Ross Byrne [1 from 1] Penalty: Sam Prendergast [2 from 3] Bulls scorers: Tries: Akker van der Merwe Conversions: Johan Goosen LEINSTER: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose (Jamie Osborne '75), Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast (Ross Byrne '69), Luke McGrath (Fintan Gunne '69); Andrew Porter (Jack Boyle '75), Dan Sheehan (Rónan Kelleher '56), Thomas Clarkson (Rabah Slimani '56); Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (RG Snyman '42); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (captain) (Max Deegan '75). BULLS: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk (Devon Williams '67); Johan Goosen (Keagan Johannes '), Embrose Papier (Zak Burger '72); Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Alulutho Tshakweni '52), Johan Grobbelaar (Akker van der Merwe '44), Wilco Louw (Mornay Smith '65); Cobus Wiese (Jannes Kirsten '35), JF van Heerden; Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (captain), Marcell Coetzee (Nizaam Carr '65). Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Croke Park title 'the stuff of dreams' - Leo Cullen delighted with URC win
When the Bulls shocked Leinster to inflict a very rare trophyless season back in 2022, it triggered a long summer of soul-searching. That summer turned into a four-year wait, finally ended with a 32-7 hammering of the Bulls at Croke Park. As the face of Leinster Rugby, Leo Cullen has had a heavy weight on his shoulders after a series of semi-final and final defeats, both in the URC and Champions Cup. "It was a great day today," he told RTÉ Sport at Croke Park. "An amazing occasion at Croke Park. It's the stuff of dreams really, isn't it? For lots of Irish kids growing up. To experience a final here, big thanks to the support that we've had. It's just about enjoying the moment now." Just under 47,000 people, a record for an final in Ireland, turned up at Croke Park, and Cullen was right in the thick of them in the Hogan Stand, part of the makeshift coaching box, allowing him to fully experience the noise. "It's great for everybody. The supporters is the big thing. It was an amazing atmosphere out there today. Normally when you're in the Aviva, you're in a glass coaches box and you're way off getting the sense of the occasion so it was amazing. "Two Wicklow lads [Cullen and Jack Conan] here getting involved in a final at Croke Park, a rare sight but listen, it was a great week, lots of great stuff over the course of a season. "It's a very difficult competition to win, just the nature of the way the season is and there's a lot of great teams involved in. The South African teams have been an amazing addition to the tournament. The Bulls are a great team." While it doesn't fully erode the pain of their Champions Cup elimination last month, it does allow them finish a campaign with something to show for it. Although Cullen insists his side wouldn't be defined by their trophy haul. "We had this question yesterday, wasn't it? Is your season, when you get to a final, is it a success or a failure? "Unfortunately, you guys, the way you write, the losers of a final suddenly are failures. Whereas you get to the last day of the competition, I think you need to celebrate the two teams that are in the final. "Obviously we've been on the flip side of that in the past. Does that deem us failures? I personally don't think it's a failure. We win today, it's great but we'll move onto the next challenge and that will be... we'll watch the guys that are on tour with Ireland and the Lions." Bulls coach Jake White was effusive in his praise for Leinster after the game. The former Springbok boss admitted he had been quietly confident about pulling off another play-off win against Leinster after their successes in 2022 and 2024, but added that his Bulls were totally outclassed by Leinster's stacked squad of international talent. "You have to understand, this is not a normal rugby team," he said of Leinster. "We are naïve when… I made a note in my book, they are 19-0 up and they bring on RG Snyman. "It's just a different league altogether and that's why Leinster supporters are probably so disappointed because they were waiting for that performance the whole year and we just happened to get the 40 minutes that they were waiting for the whole year. "We couldn't get our hands on the ball. I say again to all the Irish, I don't think they give the credit to that Leinster team. They are well coached, they are fantastic guys as well." This afternoon's final was a third defeat for the Bulls in four appearances at the big dance, and White was blunt when asked what he needs to turn silver medals into gold. "The lesson I've taken from that is we need more international players to play in our province. I need what Leinster have. I need to be able to fight fire with fire. "They're sitting in the coaching box, 19-0 up, and say, 'RG [Snyman], warm up'. They put him on and let him menace the defence like he did tonight. "I keep banging the same drum. I've coached some of the best players in the world, players who have won player of the year twice. If you're playing against 23 internationals, I think today Leinster were short with only 22, there is a complete difference. "That's a phenomenal provincial team. That must be the best Leinster team, I know that's going to be headline but that must be one of the best Leinster squads they've ever had."
