US Open golf 2024: second round – live | US Open

A rocky start for Tommy Fleetwood. After a three-putt bogey on the second hole, he hit a fantastic second shot from 135 yards to 10 feet on the third hole. The putt went in and he was back to par, where he started the day. In other early results from Anglo Fields, Tyrrell Hatton started his round with a three-putt bogey on the first hole and nearly added to his mistakes on the second hole, blasting his tee shot into the bottom left Umska. But he made an up-and-down swing from the apron to make par and is at -1, well within his grasp of the championship.

Rory McIlroy made an extremely careless bogey on the second hole. With a wedge in hand, 137 yards out, the pin in the middle of the green, he pulled his approach along the left bank. His chip shot went to six feet, but he missed the putt, marking the first setback of the week for the 2012 and 2014 champion. A perfect card yesterday quickly fell apart this morning. Scottie Scheffler is at par again today. He hasn’t done anything particularly impressive so far, but he hasn’t made any silly mistakes either.

-5: Cantlay
-4: McIlroy (2*), Oberg
-3: Pavon
-2: DeChambeau (2), Finau, Bhatia

Xander Schauffele couldn’t guide a gentle slider hit from right to left on the 11th hole, resulting in a bogey-bogey start for the PGA champion. He’s +2. But Schauffele isn’t the first to zigzag at Pinehurst this week, and he won’t be the last. Bryson DeChambeau, who passed him at Valhalla last month, got into the brush on the second hole and his second shot flew over the green and down the bank. He overcooked a chip back, losing a stroke. He’s -2.

Things got even tougher for Xander Schauffele when his tee shot on the 11th hole landed in the woods on the bottom left. His ball lands in front of a patch of grass, with another clump of grass behind it, which blocks his backswing. It’s forced downhill and into the fairway, where he has no choice but to gouge it. It’s one of those shots that looks like an amateur move but actually pays off. It took a reserve of power and skill just to hit the ball, but he has to go up and down from afar to save par. A 12-foot wedge straight at the flag would help. A big, momentum-changing putt looms.

Of course, Viktor Hovland! He nearly hit a wedge into the cup with one stroke from 121 yards. The ball stopped nine inches short of the cup for a kick-in birdie. He’s +7 and will need something special to survive the cut. He’s now +3, but with the conditions and competitors struggling on Pinehurst’s notorious Turtleback green, he’ll surely fall down the rankings.

Xander Schauffele was in top form yesterday, finishing with a nearly flawless 70 strokes. The newly crowned PGA champion was up to his usual tricks today, hitting his second shot into a tree to the right of the 10th hole, then sending his third shot through the pine needles and onto the back of the green. A wedge he hit from behind sailed past 12 feet and he couldn’t save par, dropping him to +1. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy (-5) and Scottie Scheffler (+1) both made par.

Viktor Hovland is back with his old swing coach, Joe Mayo. The decision, overall, saved his season from disaster, but it doesn’t fix everything in one fell swoop. Yesterday’s 78 was a stark reminder that there’s still work to be done. The reigning FedEx champion and two-time PGA runner-up won’t win his first major this week. Either way, he began today’s repair work with an iron clicking in the middle of the first hole, as did his fellow players Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and Max Homa (+1). I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks of Seinfeld when it comes to Hoveland’s coaching deal.

Brandon Robinson Thompson got an early birdie. The 31-year-old from the Isle of Wight is playing in his first U.S. Open and just his second major (he played all four days at Hoylake last year), but he’s been enjoying himself so far this week, shooting a 72 yesterday and birdieing the 10th hole to start the second round. At +1 overall, and with plenty of experience playing golf in neighboring South Carolina, he’ll be excited about his chances of once again making the major cut and progressing from there.

It’s hardly breaking news to let you know that Pinehurst No2 is playing at a hard and fast pace today. Sky Sports demonstrated that fact this morning with a few first shots from Mark Hubbard and Adam Svensson. Both players landed the ball softly next to the pin, but with a slight backspin the ball bounced back down the fairway – slowly at first, then rapidly. Perfect comedic timing, and an insulting response to match. Of course, it’s not as funny when it happens to you or your favourite player. The players could be in for a long day if they can’t find the landing spot. The difference between success and failure is small, but hey, this is the US Open.

So will Rory McIlroy continue his upward trajectory following last night’s birdie on the 18th hole? He admitted that he just stepped on the putt because he thought it was too short. It’s an honest statement, but it kind of ruined the mic drop effect. Either way, it’s a big boost for the 2011 champion in his quest for his fifth major championship. He was out early this morning, and his first drive on the 10th hole was a perfect shot with the club turning. His playing buddy Xander Schauffele and world number one Scottie Scheffler also split the fairway. It’s going to be an exciting morning!

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