US Open: Rickie Fowler one ahead after eventful second round as Rory McIlroy makes late birdie | Golf news

Wyndham Clark singles halfway lead and Rory McIlroy two strokes back for third at LA Country Club; Rickie Fowler birdied the opening 18 holes – a US Open record – to hold the lead at the halfway point; Watch live on Saturday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf

Rickie Fowler survived a wild second round to take a one-shot lead at the weekend at the US Open as Rory McIlroy found himself in contention in Los Angeles.

Fowler followed up Thursday’s record 62 by posting just four pars during a second-round 68 at Los Angeles Country Club, mixing eight birdies with six bogeys to move to 10 under and tie the 36-hole US Open scoring record.

The five-time PGA Tour winner leads the leaderboard ahead of Wyndham Clark, who set the original clubhouse target with a three-under 67, while McIlroy is just two strokes back in third place as he chases his first major win since 2014.

McIlroy birdied four of his five holes to post a second-round 67, while Xander Schauffele – who joined Fowler in making major history on the opening day – birdied the final two holes to salvage a par 70 and join the world No.3 in a tie for third.

Fowler leads midway through Los Angeles

Schauffele and Fowler held a two-stroke cushion after the opening day, posting the lowest rounds in US Open history to tie the all-time men’s major record, despite starting their second round behind as Wyndham Clark moved to nine under.

Fowler got up and down the greenside bunker to take advantage of the par-five first and start a run of three straight birdies, briefly putting him two ahead and moving him to 11 under faster than any player has previously accomplished in US Open history.

The American hit a poor tee shot after a long wait on the fourth tee, leading to his first bogey of the round, before canceling a 10-foot birdie at the sixth with a three-putt at the next.

Schauffele opened with five straight pars before bogeying a five-foot birdie at the sixth. He also dropped his next shot, his first of the week, and both players then picked up shots on the par-five eight.

Fowler reached the turn two ahead but slipped back into three-way when he posted back-to-back bogeys from the 10th, and a roller-coaster ride at the world No. 45 saw him drain a 20-foot birdie at 12 before he was three over. -putting far next.

Schauffele slipped down the leaderboard with three consecutive bogeys at the 13th, while Fowler rolled in from eight feet at the 15th and responded with a dropped shot at the 17th to regain a one-shot advantage.

Fowler then made two putts in the final stretch to stay at 10 under, and his 130 shots over the first two days matched Martin Kaymer’s record-low total en route to a 2014 victory at Pinehurst.

“We’re trying to clean some of that up,” Fowler said. “Bindys are there if you put yourself in the right position, but as you can see, bogeys are very easy to make!”

Schauffele matched his nine-straight swing by bogeying the final two holes to get back to eight under. McIlroy, the 2011 US Open champion, was also in that total after nearly making a hole-in-one on the final hole of the day. .

Harris English is tied for fifth ahead of Min Woo Lee and Dustin Johnson, who recovered from a quadruple bogey at the par-four second to card a level 70 to enter the weekend at six under with world number one Scottie Scheffler. five clear of the halfway lead after a two-under 68.

Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick shot his third hole-in-one of the week on the 15th en route to a par 70, while world No. 1 Jon Rahm snuck into the weekend at the cut after finishing with a three-over 73 with four bogeys in the final eight holes.

Who will win the 123rd US Open? Watch the whole weekend live on Sky Sports. The live broadcast continues on Saturday at 18:00 on Sky Sports Golf and at 22:00 on Sky Sports’ main event.