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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Second-best shot of the day
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:
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Cutline update
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.
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Ludvig Aberg takes the outright lead … for a few seconds
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.
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We have a three-way tie for the lead
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
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And … Tiger gives it back
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.
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Tiger Woods gains a stroke
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.
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Ludvig Aberg jumps to the top
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.
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This quote from Rory McIlroy sums up Pinehurst No. 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.”
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Scottie Scheffler sweating in the clubhouse
Friday was a rough one for the world’s top-ranked golfer. He’s now at risk of missing the cut for the first time in what feels like forever.
More from Jay Busbee on the ground at Pinehurst:
Click the photo to read more about Scottie Scheffler’s rough outing on Friday at Pinehurst. (AP/Matt York) -
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