That’s the lowest differential after 36 holes in the U.S. Open, mainly because until 2012, everyone within 10 shots of the lead made the cut at the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day – the top three players in the world, all of them professing expansive Erin Hills to be flawless for their games – spent Friday cleaning out their lockers after missing the cut.
McIlroy is back to even-par for the round after bogeying the first three holes on the front nine. Nobody’s going to make nine birdies out there.
Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman were at 67, with Patrick Reed and Adam Hadwin in the group at 68.
The Englishman had a chance for a piece of the third-round lead at the U.S. Open on Saturday as he lined up his third shot on the par-5 final hole – a 50-yard wedge from the bottom of the hill that led to the green. I think the more rounds I can play, I’m hopefully going to get rid of all that stuff and hopefully strip it down to what you saw the last six holes.
Thomas, decked out in shocking fluorescent pink trousers, produced a no less electric performance that featured nine birdies, two bogeys and was capped with a record-smashing eagle at the par-five 18th to complete the best single round in U.S. Open history, in relation to par.
Of the top 10 players in the world, only Masters champion Sergio Garcia (70) and Fowler broke par.
The U.S. Open didn’t seem to faze him, and he delivered a variety of big shots that led to his sensational finish.
During Thursday’s first round, a commercial blimp above a neighbouring field to Erin Hills – in place for the tournament – caught fire and fell from the sky with the pilot receiving hospital treatment for burns. Cameron Champ, who just finished his junior year at Texas A&M, birdied his last hole for a 69. “Out of an abundance of caution, we will offer all guests complimentary bottled water at all four hydration stations throughout the duration of the championship”. There have been no reports yet of anyone getting sick.
Willett shot a 9-over 81 in the first round and then withdrew before his tee time in the second round. Combined with Fowler’s 65 on Thursday, this marked the first time that three golfers had 7-under rounds in the same Open.
Dustin Johnson was right on the cut line with eight holes to play. 11, 12 and 13 as he missed makeable putts on each hole to fall off the pace before finishing with a 1-over 73. He shot three over in Round 3 to fall from seven under to only four under. “I wasn’t thinking too much about 8 under”, he said through an interpreter. “I couldn’t possibly shoot any higher than I did. Part of that is just age and part I’ll give credit to Johnny McLaren (his caddie), credit to my wife and my little boy”.
“Really?” an incredulous McIlroy said.
McIlroy won the US Open with a record 16-under-par total in 2011, but was a combined 50 over par for his seven other appearances before this week and missed the cut at Oakmont a year ago following rounds of 77 and 71. “I’ll work on the game a little bit, and I’ll be ready to play at the British”. I’ll probably go back, pack up and then I’ll come back and have a beer and watch the closing stretch. “Looking forward to the next two days”. So that kind of takes the advantage away from the bombers.
But Casey rebounded with five straight birdies at Nos.
Kite says it looks as if the conditions at Erin Hills “are going to be a lot more challenging”, but he doesn’t think it will look like what happened 25 years ago.
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Day at least managed to find one positive spin.
