Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Adam Schupak
June 14, 2024 8:20 pm ET
PINEHURST, N.C. — Pinehurst No. 2 gave players fits on Friday — some more than others. The course played firm and fast on a hot day. Balls were on the green and then they weren’t. Lip outs and three jacks and all the misery typically associated with a U.S. Open. There won’t be any 62s this week at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, that’s for sure.
But first some of the heroics. Italy’s Francesco Molinari made an ace at No. 9, his final hole of his second round to go from outside the cutline to making the weekend.
“That’s what I was trying to do. It was the last chance to have a chance to play the weekend. I saw we were still 61st, so hopefully we can sneak in the cut,” Molinari said. “Yeah, that’s golf in a nutshell.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, that’s never happened before in a U.S. Open. Special stuff.
How about Xander Schauffele, the reigning PGA Championship winner, who shot 69 to finish at 1-under 139 and inside the top 10. It also extended his PGA Tour-leading streak of made cuts to 49, matching Steve Stricker for the longest such streak since Tiger Woods set the mark with 142.
It took 5-over 145 to be among the 74 players to make the cut. Three amateurs advanced to the weekend: Neal Shipley, Luke Clanton and Gunnar Broin. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler survived on the number, shooting 4-over 74 on Day Two.
But a bunch of big names were on the wrong side of the cutline and were trunk-slamming on Friday.
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Viktor Hovland (6 over)
Viktor Hovland on the 5th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. 2. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Hovland was among the favorites this week after finishing third at the PGA Championship last month. He dug himself a big hole by shooting 78 on Thursday and not even a Friday 68 could save him.
Hovland made six bogeys and two double bogeys on Thursday. He ranked 151stin both SG: Tee to Green and SG: Around the Green, which is an ugly combination. On Friday, he was eighthin SG: Tee to Green and second in SG: Around the Green but the damage was done.
Robert MacIntyre (6 over)
Robert MacIntyre plays his shot from the sixteenth tee box during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
The Scot, who won his maiden PGA Tour title at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago, apparently needs his father, Dougie, on the bag more than even he knew. MacIntyre struggled to make birdies, just one on Friday and three overall for the first 36 holes. It didn’t help that he was 2 for 7 in scrambling on Friday. A double at 13 and bogey at 17 sealed his fate as he signed for 70-76.
Max Homa (6 over)
Max Homa on the 5th hole during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Homa’s approach game was a tale of two rounds. He gained more than two strokes in the first round and ranked fifth in the field of 156 in SG: Approach the Green. One day later, not so much. He ranked 154thand lost more than 3.5 strokes.
Homa, who shot 71-75, missed his second cut in his last three starts.
Nick Dunlap (6 over)
Nick Dunlap reacts after putting on the first green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The reigning U.S. Amateur champ has been in the pro ranks since January and is learning how cut day can be a nail biter. This one is going to be a tough one to stomach as Dunlap made a triple bogey on the par-3 ninth hole, his final hole of the day. He went from 3 over to 6 over and out of the tournament. Dunlap’s tee shot sailed long into the native area and he played ping pong back and forth, including into a bunker. Tough way to end his week.
Tiger Woods (7 over)
Tiger Woods plays on the 3rd hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. 2. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Tiger failed to capitalize on a good driving round on Thursday and was equally frustrated on Friday, saying,“it was probably the highest score I could have shot today.” He posted 74-73, making just one birdie on Friday when he was battling for the cut. Tiger, who received a special exemption into the field of 156 this week was asked if this would be his last U.S. Open.
“As far as my last Open Championship or U.S. Open Championship, I don’t know what that is. It may or may not be,” he said.
Playing in his first U.S. Open since 2020, Tiger missed his second consecutive cut at the championship and fourth in his last five. For more on Tiger’s second round, click here.
Jason Day (8 over)
Jason Day of Australia lines up a putt on the second green during the first round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 13, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The former world No. 1 shot 71-77. Perhaps it was the conservative outfit from Malbon that threw him off his game. In any event, Day struggled on Friday, ranking No. 149 in SG: Tee to Green and 151stin SG: Putting. Being 4 of 10 in scrambling usually adds up to scores around 77.
Will Zalatoris (8 over)
Will Zalatoris plays his shot from the second tee box during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The Wake Forest product has to be disappointed with shooting 75-73. Zalatoris doesn’t have a top-10 finish since the Masters. A crooked driver hurt Zalatoris, who hit just half the fairways and ranked T-142 in fairways hit. On Thursday, Zalatoris was 2 for 9 in scrambling. He hit just 7 of 18 greens on Friday.
Rickie Fowler (8 over)
Rickie Fowler on the 12th hole during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
Fowler failed to make a single birdie on Friday at Pinehurst No. 2, a course where he finished T-2 a decade ago. This is Fowler’s second straight missed cut and he continues to struggle this season after ending a winless drought last year at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and being selected to the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Fowler’s tee-to-green game let him down. He ranked 141st in that category on Friday. Adding insult to injury was a subpar short game. He was just 6 of 17 in scrambling for the week. It added up to rounds of 71-77 and that’s not good enough for a weekend tee time.
Dustin Johnson (9 over)
Dustin Johnson prepares to putt on the eighth green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports
DJ missed the cut at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2017. He shot 74-75. The LIV golfer missed the cut in a major for the third time in his last four starts. This marked the final major start of his 30s. (DJ turns 40 on June 22.)
Johnson was 1 for 5 in scrambling on Thursday and 4 of 11 on Friday. The lowlight had to be the triple on No. 9.
Sungjae Im (10 over)
Sungjae Im of South Korea plays his shot from the 15th tee during a practice round prior to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 12, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Im shot 74-75 due to a balky putter. He ranked 149thin SG: Putting on Thursday and wasn’t much better on Friday. Im entered the week with two straight top-10 finishes. But that streak came to a halt and another one continued – this marks Im’s third straight missed cut in a major this season.
Justin Thomas (11 over)
Justin Thomas putts on the first green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas’s major mojo is still MIA. He missed three of four cuts in 2023 and now 2 of 3 in 2024. Thomas stunk up the joint on Thursday, shooting 77, and followed with 74 on Friday.
His approach game was off (149th on Thursday, 152nd on Friday and 154th combined for 36 holes) and his putter was lacking (144th). Being 3 for 11 in scrambling contributed to his shooting hockey sticks. Friday wasn’t much better. He’s now missed cuts at the Players Championship, Masters and U.S. Open.
Phil Mickelson (15 over)
Phil Mickelson on the 12th hole during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
Mickelson’s week can be summed up in one stat: he failed to make a single birdie at the 124thU.S. Open.
Mickelson opened the championship with four consecutive bogeys, five of the first six holes and six of the first eight. He bogeyed half the holes on Thursday. On Friday, Mickelson started on the back nine and made double at 18 and shot 76. He beat just five golfers in the field.
Mickelson missed the cut at the U.S. Open for the third straight year and fourth time in his last five appearances. He hasn’t had a top 10 at the U.S. Open since 2013.
Past champions sent packing
Lucas Glover hits on the third hole during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Three-time U.S. Open champ Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson (2016) weren’t the only past U.S. Open champs who didn’t have the magic this week. Lucas Glover (2009), Webb Simpson (2012), Justin Rose (2013) and Gary Woodland (2019) all are going home early.
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