LOS ANGELES (AP) — Follow along for live updates in the second round of the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
FOWLER’S ALONE IN THE LEAD
Rickie Fowler has shot a 2-under 68 to take the lead at the midway point of the U.S. Open at 10 under while tying the championship’s 36-hole record of 130.
Fowler needed to birdie the par-4 18th hole at Los Angeles Country Club to break the 36-hole record set by Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. But he settled for a two-putt par, one of only four pars he made in the second round. Fowler had eight birdies and six bogeys.
The 34-year-old Fowler, from Murrieta about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, is trying to win his first major. He leads Wyndham Clark by one stroke, with Rory McIlroy another shot back.
Fowler and Xander Schauffele each shot 62 in the opening round, breaking the previous U.S. Open record.
Fowler didn’t qualify for the last two U.S. Opens. But he’s been strong this tournament. He opened his second round with three straight birdies to get to 11 under. He then made the first of his six bogeys at No. 4.
Schauffele, who was two groups behind Fowler, made three straight bogeys on the back nine.
WHAT TO KNOW:
— Fowler, Schauffele break US Open record with 62s at Los Angeles Country Club
— McIlroy, Koepka shake hands and smile, then turn to chasing down leaders at US Open
— Max Homa happy with start in his hometown US Open
— US Open a source of uncertainty on and off the course
— US Open barranca offers beauty, danger at LA Country Club
— PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan recovering from medical issue, cedes day-to-day control
LEFTY COULD MISS THE CUT
It looks like Phil Mickelson can be making plans for a weekend at home after shooting a 4-over 74 that included a double bogey on the par-3 ninth hole in the second round of the U.S. Open.
Mickelson, playing in his 32nd U.S. Open, was at 3-over 143 through 36 holes. After the morning groups, the projected cut line is at 2 over. The six-time major champion has never won a U.S. Open.
Mickelson was making his first U.S. Open appearance since leaving for LIV Golf as one of its ringleaders. He did the bulk of his preparations last week and didn’t arrive at Los Angeles Country Club until Wednesday for a practice round.
Mickelson has declined to discuss the announced partnership between LIV and the PGA Tour. Mickelson’s infamously pointed criticisms of the PGA Tour were one of the biggest flashpoints in the tour’s messy dispute with LIV.
After shooting an opening-round 69, Mickelson had three bogeys and two birdies in his first six holes and then made a 5 on the par-3 ninth. He finished his round with five bogeys, the double bogey and three birdies.
FOWLER REACHES 11 UNDER
Rickie Fowler has birdied his first three holes to get to 11 under and take a two-shot lead in the second round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Fowler began his round not long after the sun broke through the clouds. He birdied the par-5 first hole to tie Wyndham Clark for the lead and then birdied the par-4 second to take the outright lead. He followed that by rolling in a short birdie putt at the par-4 third.
Fowler and Xander Schauffele each shot 62 in the opening round, breaking the previous U.S. Open record.
The 34-year-old Fowler, from Murrieta about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, has never won a major and didn’t qualify for the last two U.S. Opens.
Schauffele, also looking for his first major victory, began his second round shortly after Fowler and parred his first hole.
Clark shot 67 and was 9 under through 36 holes. Rory McIlroy also shot 67 and was 8 under.
CLARK’S IN THE LEAD
Wyndham Clark is in the clubhouse with a one-shot lead at 9-under after shooting 3-under 67 in the second round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
The 29-year-old Clark is seeking his first major championship. He jumped ahead of Rickie Fowler and
Clark had missed the cut in his two previous U.S. Open appearances. His best finish in his six majors: 75th at the PGA in 2021.
He got himself into great shape in this Open by shooting three birdies over his first seven holes to get to 9-under. He bogeyed the par-4 fourth but then birdied the par-5 No. 8 to get back to 9-under. Clark shot an opening-round 64.
CLARK ON TOP
Wyndham Clark made three birdies over his first nine holes to get to 9-under par and grab the lead in the second round of the U.S. Open.
Clark was one ahead of Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, who shot record-setting 62s in the opening round and had afternoon tee times for Round 2 at Los Angeles Country Club.
Tony Finau was 3 under over his first eight holes and had pulled into fourth place at 5-under par. The weather in LA was similar to Day 1 — cool and cloudy with little to no wind but with the forecast for sunshine and breezes later in the day.
Clark had missed the cut in his two previous U.S. Open appearances. His best finish in his six majors: 75th at the PGA in 2021.
ANOTHER ACE
Whether or not he defends his title at the U.S. Open, Matt Fitzpatrick will have a memorable moment at Los Angeles Country Club: a hole-in-one.
The defending champion made the third ace of the tournament on the short par-3 15th, bouncing his tee shot right of the hole, then watching it spin in for a ‘1.’
He didn’t see the shot go in, but after taking a few steps off the tee box, realized what happened and started celebrating.
Matthieu Pavon and Sam Burns both aced No. 15 on Thursday, when it was playing at 124 yards. On Friday, the hole was shortened slightly to 115 yards.
DJ AND THE SNOWMAN
Dustin Johnson didn’t miss a fairway in the opening round. He is 0 for 2 on Friday at the U.S. Open, and it cost him in a big way.
Johnson took the dreaded snowman — a quadruple-bogey 8 — on the par-4 second hole at Los Angeles Country Club that dropped him off the leaderboard.
It started with a drive left into the bunker. He only advanced that 95 yards into the rough, and the grass was so thick that his next wedge didn’t clear the barranca. Johnson took a penalty drop to the fairway, hit his fifth shot over the green and didn’t get up-and-down.
He dropped to 2 under for the tournament.
ROUND 2 UNDERWAY
Now it’s time to see if the USGA can fight back at the lowest-scoring opening round in U.S Open history.
The second round began under another overcast sky, similar conditions to when Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele set the U.S. Open record — and tied the major championship record — at 62. Some of the holes are more challenging, such as the par-3 11th hole. It’s playing 297 yards.
The course played about 200 yards shorter than full length on Thursday, and the plan was to make it longer for Friday. John Bodenhamer is the chief championships officer for the USGA in charge of setting up the course. He says the USGA can make the course “stupid hard” but it does not plan to do that.
Schauffele and Fowler play in the afternoon. The morning wave Friday features Dustin Johnson, who shot 64 on Thursday without missing a single fairway.
HISTORIC OPENING ROUND
The lowest opening round in U.S. Open history also marked the first time that nobody shot 80 or higher on the first day.
Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele sit atop the leaderboard after shooting 62s at Los Angeles Country Club to break the U.S. Open record and share the major championship mark with Branden Grace, who had a 62 in the third round at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 British Open.
On the bottom of the leaderboard are Aaron Wise and Alexander Wang, who both shot 79.
