U.S. Open Round 2 live updates, leaderboard: Xander Schauffele ...
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 years later, he's still in search of both ... and that will be the narrative today as he tees off Round 2 of the U.S. Open with a share of the lead. He and Patrick Cantlay both fired 5-under 65s Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Ludvig Aberg.
McIlroy went off in the morning wave, but he dropped two shots back after a pretty slow first nine before getting one back after making the turn. Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship last month, rattled off five birdies in a nine hole stretch around the turn, too, to get right back into contention. Bryson DeChambeau hung within a few shots of the lead, but it was Thomas Detry who matched Cantlay in the lead first after an incredible stretch of one putts.
Cantlay will go off in the afternoon wave, where he'll try to maintain his lead over the field. Tiger Woods is in the late wave, too, though he'll need a solid day to make the cut after a rough opening start. The top 60 and ties will make it into the weekend.
Oh, and Sepp Straka pulled off the first hole-in-one of the week at Pinehurst on Friday morning.
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Live21 updates
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 6:19 PM GMT+2
That's nine one-putts today for Thomas Detry. He's now matched Patrick Cantlay in the lead at 5-under after an incredible stretch of putting.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 6:15 PM GMT+2
Not only does he use 3D-printed clubs, but he's named every one of them, too.
Click the photo to read more about what's in Bryson DeChambeau's bag this week at Pinehurst.
Click the photo to read more about Bryson DeChambeau's 3D-printed clubs. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 6:10 PM GMT+2
Not only is he trying to make the weekend, but Scottie Scheffler is still looking for his first birdie today at Pinehurst.
Scottie Scheffler has never had a birdie-free major championship round as a pro.
His only career major round without a birdie came in the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont as an amateur. None through 15 holes today.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 14, 2024
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:53 PM GMT+2
I know Busbee's joking here. I know that. But at this point ...
Does Scottie Scheffler only play better when he has felony charges hanging over his head? My column:
— Jay Busbee (@jaybusbee) June 14, 2024
Scottie Scheffler just doubled the par-5 5th, and now sits at 5-over. He hasn't missed the cut anywhere since 2022.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:45 PM GMT+2
It's going to take a bit more, but Viktor Hovland is giving himself a chance to make it into the weekend. He's 5-over now, just outside the projected cutline at 3-over.
Remember, the top 60 and ties make the cut.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:39 PM GMT+2
After a rollercoaster start, Bryson DeChambeau seems back on track. He's now sank back-to-back birdie putts to get to 4-under, which has him tied up with Rory McIlroy once again.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:28 PM GMT+2
Tyrrell Hatton couldn't have landed this approach much closer to the cup. And, well ...
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:24 PM GMT+2
Xander Schauffele is still two shots off the lead with five holes to go, but he's come out firing this morning at Pinehurst.
Xander Schauffele is dialed with his iron play today, leading the early wave in round 2 currently in strokes gained approach.
Schauffele has already hit more greens in regulation today (9-for-13) than he did in all of the opening round (8-for-18).
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 14, 2024
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 5:08 PM GMT+2
As most of the early wave makes there turn, here's where we're at:
- Xander Schauffele has bounced back from two bogeys to open his round to get himself near the top of the leaderboard thanks to five birdies. He's got the round of the day so far.
- Rory McIlroy is hanging tough. After dropping a couple of strokes, he's got it to 4-under, just one back.
- Scottie Scheffler still seems out of sorts. He's at 2-over for his round and 3-over for the tournament.
- Overall, the course is playing slightly easier in Round 2 than Round 1. The big question: How will it be playing when the afternoon wave, that includes leader Patrick Cantlay, hits the course?
- Current cutline (top 60 and ties) would be +3, which means Tiger Woods (+4), Adam Scott (+4), Dustin Johnson (+4) and others have some work to do. It also means Scottie Scheffler (+3) can't afford to lose anymore strokes.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 4:55 PM GMT+2
The PGA champ got off to a slow start, firing an even-par 70 yesterday, then bogeyed his first two holes Friday. Since that second bogey, however, he's carded five — Five! — birdies to move to 3-under, just two shots back of the lead.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 4:42 PM GMT+2
Remember when Sepp Straka nailed the pin, then ended up with a triple bogey a couple hours ago? Well, Straka got redemption:
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 4:09 PM GMT+2
While everyone is scrambling to save par around Pinehurst No. 2, Germany's Thomas Detry is putting together the round of the day so far — 3-under through four holes. Wow.
After a Round 1 69, Detry has moved to 4-under for the tournament and into a tie for second place, just a stroke back of Patrick Cantlay, who tees off later this afternoon.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 3:53 PM GMT+2
Rory McIlroy had a 39-footer for birdie at the par-3 17th ... and promptly rolled it right off the green. So how did he respond? Well ...
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 3:39 PM GMT+2
Bryson DeChambeau has had birdie opportunities early in his round, but hadn't been able to capitalize until he drained a 25-footer at No. 6. That's almost like stealing one.
DeChambeau has it back to 3-under. He'll probably be happy to stay there the rest of the day.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 3:37 PM GMT+2
The World No. 1 had this to save par at the 15th. And ...
Scheffler is now at +2 for the tourna
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 3:34 PM GMT+2
That's two bogeys now for McIlroy in his first six holes after a four at the par-3 15th.
The course is playing difficult, but not impossible — there are more than a dozen under-par rounds. And McIlroy has hit every fairway. The crucial thing for every player: the approach. Hit a good one and you're OK. Miss it and you're in trouble.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 2:58 PM GMT+2
So Sepp Straka threw an absolute dart into the third green, hits the flagstick and ... ends up with a triple.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 2:49 PM GMT+2
Patrick Cantlay, maybe still sitting on a couch at his rental, has retaken the lead after a bogey at No. 11 (his second hole) by Rory McIlroy.
On the flipside of the course, Bryson DeChambeau bogey No. 2 to slip to 2-under.
Pinehurst No. 2 is playing extremely difficult in the early going. The leaders may have been at 5-under after Round 1. Won't be a surprise if the leading score is worse than that come Friday night.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 1:59 PM GMT+2
There are only two par 5s at Pinehurst No. 2. No. 10 happens to be one of them. That's where Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler started their round and none were able to take advantage. McIlroy and Scheffler parred the hole, Schauffele made bogey.
Fri, June 14, 2024 at 1:55 PM GMT+2
As players trickle onto the course, here are a few thoughts after yesterday's Round 1:
- Rory McIlroy played well in Round 1 of a major. Big deal for him and his quest to win Major No. 5.
- Bryson DeChambeau (-3) continues to be the LIV Golf flag holder.
- Brooks Koepka wasn't happy with his even-par round (understandably). He also isn't a fan of media.
- No one pays much attention to Phil Mickelson anymore. Did you know he was +9?
- Ludvig Aberg (-4) is now in the conversation of best player not to have won a major ... and this is only his third major. Co-leader Patrick Cantlay is also a part of that discussion.
- Tiger Woods (+4) has some work to do to make the cut.
