One of the most testing US Open courses in years claimed plenty of high-profile victims on Friday, with Phil Mickelson, Viktor Hovland, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson ALL missing the cut.
The greens at Pinehurst have been relentlessly tough for this year’s competition, with the sweltering weather also playing its part – but leader Ludbig Aberg has taken it in his stride to card -5 through the first two rounds.
The likes of Bryson Dechambeau and Rory McIlroy are also up there and in contention heading into the weekend, after surviving plenty of scares in North Carolina.
Unfortunately for a number of top players, though, it hasn’t been quite as easy, with a whole host of big names missing the +5 cut – including multiple former champions.
Spare a thought, too, for the man propping up the leaderboard on +20: Charlie Reiter – the man known as the longest hitter in professional golf!
Phil Mickelson finished day two of the US Open a huge 20 shots behind the leader at Pinehurst
Viktor Hovland toiled in very difficult conditions to miss the cut after the second round
Tiger Woods won’t be playing at the weekend after struggling for two days in North Carolina
Among the stars carding +6 or worse were:
- Justin Rose +6 (former US Open champion)
- Viktor Hovland +6
- Max Homa +6
- Tiger Woods +7 (15-time major champion)
- Webb Simpson +8 (former US Open champion)
- Will Zalatoris +8
- Rickie Fowler +8
- Jason Day +8
- Dustin Johnson +9 (former US Open champion)
- Gary Woodland +10 (former US Open champion)
- Justin Thomas +11
- Lucas Glover +13 (former US Open champion)
- Phil Mickelson +15
Scottie Scheffler just about made it through, but has been far away from his usual self
Dustin Johnson played with the leader Ludvig Aberg – but was way back compared to his rivals
There was some good news for a few other former champions, though, with Matthew Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka both sneaking through right on the cut line of +5.
Another man alongside them is Scottie Scheffler, the huge favorite to win the tournament after his victory at the Masters.
It, therefore, came as a huge shock to see him so far down the leaderboard, but he sneaks through in a tie for 57th place, with Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Collin Morikawa alongside him.
Scheffler is a worrying 10 shots back from the leaders at Pinehurst and is not expected to put up a challenge for the win this weekend – though stranger things have happened.
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