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.
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.
Oh, and Sepp Straka pulled off the first hole-in-one of the week at Pinehurst on Friday morning.
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What’s happened so far …
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.
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Here comes Xander
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.
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Golf gods make amends with Sepp
Remember when Sepp Straka nailed the pin, then ended up with a triple bogey a couple hours ago? Well, Straka got redemption:
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Welcome to the conversation Thomas Detry
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.
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Routine par for McIlroy?
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 …
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Birdie for Bryson
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.
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Scottie Scheffler’s tournament so far in one clip
The World No. 1 had this to save par at the 15th. And …
Scheffler is now at +2 for the tourna
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McIlroy gives another back
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.
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Golf can be a cruel game
So Sepp Straka threw an absolute dart into the third green, hits the flagstick and … ends up with a triple.
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McIlroy, DeChambeau give one back
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.
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Featured group misses opportunity
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.
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Round 1 thoughts
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.
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Will Pinehurst (and the USGA) bite back?
Round 2 is underway and already there’s this …
The USGA does not like anyone going low at this tournament, and a pair of 5-unders yesterday may have gotten their attention when setting up the course last night. Or it could just be the turtleback greens.
Whichever, it should be noted that when asked yesterday what the winning score will be, Brooks Koepka put the number at 4-under. You can do the math on that one.
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