(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con)
Rory McIlroy is just two shots off the halfway lead heading into ‘moving day’ at the US Open as he looks to hunt down Rickie Fowler at the top of the leaderboard.
McIlroy covered his last nine holes on Friday in five under par to card a second round of 67 at Los Angeles Country Club, leaving him at -8 for the championship, as Fowler set the pace on -10 after a birdie-laden 68.
Fowler leads fellow American Wyndham Clark by one shot, who took advantage of generous fairways and soft morning conditions to reach nine under, while Xander Schauffele is two back alongside McIlroy after finishing strongly to shoot a 70 in the tougher afternoon conditions.
Harris English sits alone at -7 with Min Woo Lee and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson lurking at six under par. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler battled well to finish on -5 alongside Sam Bennett while, earlier on Friday, defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick enjoyed a memorable moment with the third hole-in-one of the week.
Follow all the action from ‘moving day’ at the 123rd US Open:
Solid par from English
Johnson -5 (16), English -7 (16)
The task for Harris English is to just keep it steady coming in and he does so with a good two-putt down the slope. Johnson also makes his par to remain at five under.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 03:11
Round to forget for Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett started the day just five back but it’s not been his finest round of golf. A front-nine 39 followed by three bogeys and a double so far on the back has him nine over for the day and four over for the tournament.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 03:09
Big miss from Fowler
Fowler -11 (14), Clark -10 (14)
I didn’t see that in the script. Fowler plays the par-five 14th perfectly and has just nine feet for birdie after a lovely chip but it catches the left lip and hops out! One of Rickie’s first bad misses I can remember in a while. It’s a par but a missed opportunity for sure.
Wyndham Clark was out of position off the tee and has to settle for par as well.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 03:06
Two pars on the short 15th
McIlroy -9 (15), Schauffele -6 (15)
Onto the short par-three 15th and it’s the percentage play from the pair. Schauffele has a devilish putt down the slope which he nurses down to the hole perfectly. Rory has one from a bit closer but he sets it out too far to the right.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 03:03
Bounce-back-birdie for McIlroy
McIlroy -9 (14), Schauffele -6 (14)
Feels like a must-make putt for McIlroy…and he does get it! A good response from Rory who takes advantage of that good bounce a couple of shots prior.
Not the hole Xander Schauffele was looking for, however, as he’s out of position all the way down the hole. He’s off the side of the green with his fourth shot but gets too cute with it and it doesn’t get up the slope and on to the green.
It’s an eventual bogey six for Xander and he’s back to six under.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:57
Eagle for Scheffler
Wow, wow, wow! Scottie Scheffler eagle from the fairway. That’s one way to get around a cold putter. There have been just four birdies on that hole all day so that’s a huge bonus for the world number one.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:54
Watch out cameraman!
McIlroy -8 (13), Schauffele -7 (13)
Rory’s drive ends up in the rough and he takes out the fairway metal with the ball sitting up. It’s heading left, way left, and almost hits a cameraman and ends up on another fairway. That’s a huge break as it stays away from the rough and he takes advantage chipping it to seven feet. Birdie putt coming up.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:52
Dropped shots for Scheffler and Smith
Smith -3 (16), Scheffler -4 (16)
Missed fairways are no good for these two at this stage, especially on the uber-tricky 16th. It’s a couple of birdies and they are both one over par for their rounds today.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:49
Another bogey for English
Johnson -5 (13), English -7 (13)
Harris English is one of the many finding this back nine a lot tougher. He makes a mess of the par-five 14th and it’s his third bogey in four holes as he drops back to seven under.
Dustin Johnson makes a timely birdie to move back to five under.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:47
Fowler drains massive birdie
Fowler -11 (13), Clark -10 (13)
Rickie Fowler monster putt alert!! Nearly 70 feet worth of ground to make up from the front of the green but it’s perfectly judged and just dies perfectly in the front of the cup.
Fowler leads by two…or does he? Clark steps up from closer and powers one into the cup as well.
Two birdies on a very difficult hole for the final pair.
Ben Fleming18 June 2023 02:45