The 124th U.S. Open continues Friday with Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy sharing the lead at Pinehurst No. 2.
Only 15 players shot under-par rounds Thursday, highlighting the difficulty of the course.
Ludvig Åberg, Matthieu Pavon and 2020 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau hold the remaining top-five spots on the leaderboard under Cantlay and McIlroy.
Here are the highlights from the second round of the 2024 tournament in North Carolina.
Straka catches a break
Pinehurst No. 2 has taken plenty of shots from the world’s best golfers in the second round of the U.S. Open. It finally gave a couple back to Sepp Straka. The University of Georgia alum got a terrible break when his approach shot on the par-4 third hole bounced off the pin and bounded into a bunker. He ended up making a triple-bogey 7.
Now THAT is a tough break 😔 pic.twitter.com/qQAFchfHeo
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
On the par-3 ninth, Straka took two of those strokes back when he made an ace from 194 yards. It was the first hole-in-one of the tournament. He is 2 over at the turn. — Mark Schlabach
Ace alert! 🙌
No issue with the flagstick this time for @seppstraka. 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/8pySzBFpha
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Xander makes a run
Here comes Xander Schauffele. After starting off his round with back-to-back bogeys, taking him to 2 over for the tournament, the 2024 PGA Champion buckled down and made three birdies in six holes, including a dart that stopped two feet from the 18th hole. Schauffele hasn’t had his best stuff so far, but he’s been grinding on a tough golf course. He heads to his second nine of the day in great position. — Paolo Uggetti
“Absolutely the right number.”
Yes, yes it was.
Another kick-in birdie for Schauffele to get to red figures. pic.twitter.com/FoVQ7lyZfR
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Tough day for Scottie
It’s been another frustrating day for world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler. He started on the back and carded a bogey on both par-3 holes. On the 15th, he missed the green and couldn’t make a 17½-footer for par. On the 17th, he hit his tee shot into a left greenside bunker and missed a 9-footer. He was 2 over in the round at the turn and 3 over in the tournament. Scheffler’s frustration is beginning to show. After narrowly missing a birdie putt on No. 16, he tossed his putter into the air. When his tee shot on No. 18 went way left, he slammed his driver into the ground and threw his tee. — Schlabach
A surprise at second
Here comes Belgium’s Thomas Detry. The former University of Illinois star has moved into a tie for second place at 4 under after making three straight birdies on Nos. 11-13. After starting on the back nine and making par on No. 10, Detry drained a 17½-footer on 11, 13-footer on 12 and a 16½-footer on 13. Detry was one of the best amateur players in the world but is still seeking his first professional win on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour. His best finish in the U.S. Open was a tie for 49th at Winged Foot in 2020. — Schlabach
Turning back the clock
Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who ran away with an 8-stroke victory in the last U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, is right back in the mix a decade later. Kaymer got to 2 under with an 11½-foot birdie putt on the par-4 13th, then gave it right back with a bogey on the 14th. He’s at 1 under par. If Kaymer, an LIV Golf League captain, could somehow win again this week, it would be the third-longest stretch between U.S. Open victories. Julius Boros (1952-1963) and Hale Irwin (1979-90) waited 11 years in between their wins. — Schlabach
McIlroy saves par
For the second day in a row, McIlroy gave the Pinehurst crowd something to cheer about with another chip-in from off the green. After McIlroy hit his approach shot on the par-3 17 way past the pin, his putt ran past the hole and off the green to the short grass. A frustrated McIlroy asked for it to stop — to no avail — then proceeded to save par with his wedge. No putter necessary. McIlroy, who started on the 10th hole Friday, is 2 over for the day and 3 under for the tournament. — Uggetti
Classic one-putt by Rory. 😂 pic.twitter.com/QszrIci7De
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Rory struggles early
They’re off and running in the second round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. McIlroy, who started Friday as the co-leader with Patrick Cantlay, didn’t card a 5 in the first round while posting a bogey-free 5-under 65. Starting on the back nine Friday, McIlroy has already posted two. He missed a 12-foot birdie try and settled for par on the par-5 10th. On the par-4 11th, his approach shot rolled off the green. He chipped about 5½ feet past the hole and missed the par putt coming back. He’s 4 under, 1 stroke behind Cantlay. — Schlabach