| -10 R Fowler (US); -9 W Clark (US); -8 R McIlroy (NI), X Schauffele (US); -7 H English (US); -6 MW Lee (Aus), D Johnson (US); -5 S Scheffler (US), S Bennett (US); -4 C Smith (Aus) |
| Chosen:-1 V Hovland (Nor), B DeChambeau (US); Degree B Koepka (US), C Morikawa (US); +1 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), S Garcia (Spa); +2 J Rahm (Spa), T Fleetwood (Eng) |
| Full leaderboard |
A record-breaking Rickie Fowler holds the midway lead on the 123rd US Open however has Rory McIlroy in scorching pursuit.
Eight birdies helped Fowler to 10 underneath and a one-shot lead over Wyndham Clark, with McIlroy only a shot additional again in third alongside Xander Schauffele.
Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick hit a hole-in-one whereas Dustin Johnson had a quadruple bogey in a level-par 70 to take a seat 4 off the lead on six underneath.
A livid Jon Rahm simply made the lower on the unique Los Angeles Nation Membership.
The world quantity two snarled his method across the Californian course throughout a irritating spherical through which he posted 4 of his six bogeys on the again 9.
The Spaniard nearly snapped a wedge as his mood acquired the higher of him earlier than he signed for a three-over 73 to complete on the lower line of two over par.
Many anticipated match organisers to toughen up the North Course at Los Angeles Nation Membership after a day of report scoring on Thursday, however there have been nonetheless loads of birdies available on Friday and a exceptional third hole-in-one of the match.
One other birdie blitz from resurgent Fowler
For a participant who did not even qualify for the US Open final 12 months after tumbling all the way down to 173rd on this planet rankings, it has been a relentless attacking show from Fowler.
The 34-year-old is chasing his first main victory and much from resting on his US Open report spherical of 62 on Thursday, got here out firing once more with three straight birdies making him the quickest participant ever to get to 10 underneath on this occasion.
In a rollercoaster spherical containing simply 4 pars, Fowler carded six bogeys however eight birdies to take his whole to a championship report 18 in his first two rounds, whereas his 36-hole rating of 130 tied Germany’s 2014 champion Martin Kaymer for the bottom in US Open historical past.
“I am within the lead, however we’re solely midway there,” mentioned the American. “Being within the lead is sweet, however it actually means nothing proper now.
“I am wanting ahead to persevering with to problem myself and go on the market and attempt to execute the perfect I can.”
Schauffele, who matched Fowler’s 62 on Thursday, didn’t convey the identical fireworks on Friday, however after three consecutive bogeys he completed with two birdies to signal for a level-par 70 to hitch McIlroy on eight underneath.
The reigning Olympic champion will play with McIlroy within the penultimate group out on Saturday at 23:39 BST.
World primary Scottie Scheffler will not be too distant on 5 underneath after a 68, with Open champion Cameron Smith rounding out the highest 10 on 4 underneath after a 67.
Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland are on one underneath, whereas final month’s US PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka is at degree par.
McIlroy mounts back-nine response
Teeing off on the tenth within the early wave, issues didn’t go McIlroy’s method in his first 9 holes and he was at risk of sliding out of competition with three bogeys and a solitary birdie, however the response was emphatic.
Six birdies adopted, 4 in his final 5 holes together with coming inside inches of creating a hole-in-one on the par-three ninth, in distinction to his bogey end within the first spherical.
“It was an effective way to complete the spherical,” McIlroy informed NBC. “It was good to complete the spherical off correctly and put myself proper into the combo going into the weekend.”
Like McIlroy, Dustin Johnson can also be in competition for a second US Open title, regardless of a nightmare begin when he took eight on the par-four second. The American fought arduous to ship a level-par spherical and present his title credentials.
“Making a quad on quantity two undoubtedly did not get the day began off how I envisioned it,” mentioned Johnson.
“However to battle again and nonetheless be proper within the combine going into the weekend, I am undoubtedly happy with the way in which I got here again and completed off the spherical.”
Johnson was joined on six underneath by Australian Min Woo Lee, who carded the bottom spherical of the day, a five-under 65.
American Clark set the tempo for the early starters, placing collectively an excellent spherical of 67, with only one bogey, to get to 9 underneath after some nerveless placing on the greens.
The 29-year-old gained his one and solely PGA Tour title final month and it is a large US Open efficiency for him after lacking the lower on his two earlier appearances.
Fitzpatrick’s first ace, large names miss the lower
Though typically sad along with his efficiency, particularly off the tee, Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick had a second to recollect on the brief fifteenth, though he solely realised he had aced it because of the group’s response.
“It was so thrilling and a primary ever skilled hole-in-one,” mentioned the 28-year-old from Sheffield, who carded a level-par 70 to finish the day one over.
“As quickly as I hit it I assumed that it had a very good probability of going shut. My hand was a bit sore after all of the excessive fiving.”
Fitzpatrick squeezed into the weekend on one over alongside Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia, whereas Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood scraped by means of on two over.
Phil Mickelson missed the lower on his 53rd birthday, with the six-time runner-up wanting destined to overlook out on the one main to elude him, whereas Jordan Spieth was one other large identify to overlook out on three over.
The 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose can also be heading dwelling after letting his spherical slip away from him with two late bogeys as he completed at 4 over.
In the meantime, two-time main winner Justin Thomas had three double bogeys in his nightmare 11-over spherical of 81 to complete on 14 over.