U.S. Open Round 2 live updates, leaderboard: Cantlay, Åberg jump ...
It's a story as old as a fourth grader, one golf fans know well: Rory McIlroy and The Search for the Elusive Fifth Major. It's in its 10th printing, dating back to 2015 when, after winning the 2014 Open Championship and PGA Championship, McIlroy took aim at the career Grand Slam and a fifth major victory at Augusta.
Nearly a full decade later, he's still in search of both. That, of course, was the narrative again today as he started the second round of the U.S. Open with a share of the lead. McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay each posted a 5-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over the field.
McIlroy, like plenty of others in the early wave on Friday, just hung in there. He finished with a 2-over 72, thanks to a bogey at the last, which kept him within two shots of the lead as he hit the clubhouse.
Though McIlroy stumbled a bit, Thomas Detry was locked in. He matched Cantlay at 5-under quickly after making the turn thanks to a huge putting day, and then he briefly took the solo lead on his back nine. Bryson DeChambeau remained in the mix after a rollercoaster start, too. He stuck his approach at the 18th right next to the cup for a final birdie, which moved him to 4-under for the week.
With the afternoon underway, Ludvig Åberg and Matthieu Pavon have entered into the mix. Åberg matched Cantlay in the lead at 6-under on their front nine, too. And, of course, who will make/miss the cut is part of the conversation. Scottie Scheffler, who has been nothing short of dominant all season, is looking at his first missed cut in 672 days. Tiger Woods is right on the bubble.
Oh, and Sepp Straka pulled off the first hole-in-one of the week at Pinehurst on Friday morning.
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Live52 updates
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 11:28 PM GMT+2
Patrick Cantlay isn't going away. He's back within just a single shot of the lead again after his latest birdie.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 11:18 PM GMT+2
Patrick Cantlay may have bogeyed at the 12th, but Ludvig Åberg played it perfectly. His lead is back up to two shots now with six holes to go after his latest birdie.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 11:10 PM GMT+2
Well, that might have been Tiger's best birdie look of the day. He just barely pushed a birdie look at the 13th, which keeps him at 6-over.
He needs at least one birdie over the next five holes to make the weekend.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 11:09 PM GMT+2
Patrick Cantlay just dropped back after another bogey at the 12th. So Ludvig Åberg is out in front alone at 5-under again.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:59 PM GMT+2
Brooks' third hole was, well, awful. After dropping his third shot into the bunker around the green, Koepka missed two very makeable putts and had to settle with a triple bogey. He's at 4-over now.
(USGA)
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:55 PM GMT+2
Tiger just barely missed a par putt at the 12th, so he'll drop to 6-over now on the week. That's pushed him just outside the cutline with six holes left.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:53 PM GMT+2
This birdie was huge for Matt Kuchar. He's now inside the cutline after a perfect chip from the bunker.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:45 PM GMT+2
It took him a few holes after that double, but Patrick Cantlay finally got his birdie. He's at even now for the day, and back in a share of the lead with Ludvig Åberg at 5-under.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:17 PM GMT+2
With most of the afternoon wave now halfway through their round, here's where things stand at Pinehurst:
Leaderboard Update
1. Åberg -5 (9)
T2. Cantlay -4 (9)
T2. DeChambeau -4 (F)
T2. Pavon -4 (7)
T2. Detry -4 (F)
6. McIlroy -3 (F)
T7. Matsuyama -2 (F)
T7. Finau -2 (8)
T7. Thompson -2 (4)
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 10:03 PM GMT+2
Well, that's one way to make the turn. Brooks Koepka is back to even par.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 9:53 PM GMT+2
It could've been worse. Patrick Cantlay just doubled on the 8th after running into trouble around the green. That's pushed Ludvig Åberg into the solo lead by two shots now — though he missed the fairway on No. 8 behind Cantlay. His lead may not last very long.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 9:42 PM GMT+2
The shot of the day goes to Sepp Straka, who had a hole-in-one earlier today. Second-best ... let's give it to Sahith Theegala, who produced this gem for birdie:
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 9:39 PM GMT+2
Currently the cutline sits at +3, where 61 players sit. With the cut being set at top 60 and ties, if two players slip a stroke, that brings it to +4, which would be huge for guys like Wyndham Clark, Keegan Bradley and, maybe, Tiger Woods.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 9:17 PM GMT+2
It's another birdie for the 24-year-old Swede. He drained a 10-footer for birdie at the par 5 fifth to take the lead ... that lasted all of a minute.
Because ahead at No. 6, Patrick Cantlay drained a 21-footer at the par 3 to get himself to 6-under.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 8:53 PM GMT+2
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon has worked his way to the top of the leaderboard, in a tie with Patrick Cantlay and Ludvig Aberg, via two birdies on his first two holes. Heck of a start for the 31-year-old.
Prior to this season, he'd never made a cut at a major in four previous starts. He finished T12 at the Masters in April, missed the cut at the PGA in May and now T1 at the U.S. Open
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 8:50 PM GMT+2
It's a bogey for Tiger at No. 5, which is rough considering it's one of only two par 5s on the course. At +4, he's one shot back of the current cutline.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 8:28 PM GMT+2
It's a birdie for Tiger Woods at No. 4, getting him to 3-over for the tournament. That's huge if Big Cat is going to stick around for the weekend.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 8:12 PM GMT+2
A birdie at No. 2 has Ludvig Aberg in a tie atop the leaderboard with Patrick Cantlay. As mentioned yesterday, if you don't know Aberg, get to know him because he's going to be a fixture in these things.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 7:50 PM GMT+2
When asked how the course challenges players, Rory McIlroy had this to say:
"It requires a lot more thought. Even though I hit a great drive on the eighth hole, I had 151 adjust to the hole. I'm trying to land it 146. I can't land it 144 because it's not going to get up there. I can't land it 148 because it's going to go over the back of the green."
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 7:39 PM GMT+2
Well, Thomas Detry's solo lead was short-lived. He just bogeyed the par-3 6th, which dropped him back to 5-under the week. Patrick Cantlay, who just teed off, is the co-leader once again.
