Bryson DeChambeau shot a 1-under 69 on Friday in the 124th U.S. Open, his second consecutive score under 70 and an impressive feat on the treacherous Pinehurst No. 2 course.
Coincidentally, he recorded consecutive scores in the 60s in the opening rounds of the U.S. Open. Winged feetand won in 2020. Will history repeat itself?
Still, the second round on Friday was tougher for DeChambeau than the first, as he recorded five birdies and four bogeys, but he finished on a high note with a birdie on the 18th hole to finish under par for the day.
With his one-under round, he was four under for the championship and left the golf course one stroke behind the leader.
“Overall, I’m very happy with how I persevered, gave myself good opportunities when it mattered and accomplished a lot. Clutch pad “It’s coming in,” DeChambeau said.
He improved his score off the tee on Thursday, but lost just 0.08 points on Friday, hitting just 7 of 14 fairways and 9 of 17 greens.
But DeChambeau made up strokes on the greens, and he outpaced the field in strokes gained while putting by 2.29, a big improvement from his 0.33 loss on Thursday.
“This golf course is not going to be the same tomorrow or the day after, and I expect that,” he said.
“We as competitors, players, have to adapt depending on the situation. I’m excited about my game right now. I’m pretty confident coming into this weekend and ready to go.”
This week also marks the 25th anniversary of Payne Stewart’s victory at the 1999 U.S. Open, a golf legend who was DeChambeau’s childhood idol.
Stewart was a big factor in DeChambeau’s decision to attend SMU and wear a Scully cap for a while, after seeing a mural of Stewart at the golf center during a recruiting trip to SMU and making the decision an easy one.
DeChambeau doesn’t wear a flat cap much these days, but he brought one this week to honor Stewart.
“I wore the hat as a tribute to Payne and Ben Hogan,” DeChambeau said.
“I was a big Ben Hogan fan growing up, and I’m also a Payne Stewart fan because I know the impact Payne had on the game of golf. He’s a big figure to me in the golf world.”
“My first [PGA Tour] “His win was my first at the John Deere Classic. It was a different tournament then, but it meant a lot to me to win there. I’m wearing his cap on my bag this week in memory of him. It hangs next to my bag and I always have it with me. Every time I walk on these grounds I think of him.”
Stewart won the inaugural U.S. Open at Pinehurst in 1999 but was tragically killed in a plane crash just four months later. The resort features Stewart’s iconic victory statue, which fans can see as they enter the main entrance this week.
After 36 holes, DeChambeau is in the running to win and will need a strong weekend to secure a second U.S. Open victory. He has proven to be one of the most consistent players in the field, which will serve him well as Pinehurst becomes increasingly complicated.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a Golf Staff Writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Instagram: @savannah_leigh_sports
