That’s the end of Moving Day ... and boy, did Moving Day move! Like pulp, baby! Here’s how the top of the leaderboard has shifted after a topsy-turvy round. Anything similar tomorrow and we could have a classic on our hands. Hope you’ll enjoy it with us. Thanks for reading this blog. Nighty night!
-4: Zalatoris, Fitzpatrick
-3: Rahm
-2: Bradley, Hadwin, Scheffler
-1: Burns, McIlroy, Dahmen
E: Hardy
+1: McCarthy, Woodland, Power, NeSmith, Wise, Buckley
+2: Muñoz, Lee, Johnson, Matsuyama, Riley, Harman, Rodgers, Morikawa
+3: Cantlay, Spieth, Tringale, Thomas, Schenk, Kim, Pieters, Lingmerth
Updated
Two putts for Collin Morikawa; par, and a disastrous 77. Two putts for Joel Dahmen; par, and a much more workable 74. Morikawa goes into tomorrow at +2, surely too far behind given the sheer number of players now in front of him. Dahmen remains in the red at -1, with hopes still very much alive.
The last match comes up 18. Everyone assumed all eyes would now be on Collin Morikawa. But he’s been all over the shop today, seven over for his round and at +2, almost an irrelevance in terms of winning this championship. Joel Dahmen however has hung on in there after a poor front nine of 39. He’s parred every hole so far coming home. One more and he’ll be just three off the lead going into the final round. He splits the fairway with his drive, then knocks his second to the back of the green, which means when his ball starts turning towards the hole, the slope will really get it moving. It rolls to ten feet, and a birdie to finish for the unheralded but popular Dahmen would be even better!
Like McIlroy before him, Rahm gives his downhill putt a chance to drop ... but his effort stays out on the left. A double bogey to finish, and he’s signing for a 71. He trudges off looking thoroughly sick. He’s -3, and won’t be in tomorrow’s final group now.
What drama here! Rahm’s drive hit the face of the bunker and rolled back. He thinks he’s got enough room to get over the lip and go for the green ... but slams his second straight into the face! He whips his second attempt higher, and it dunks into the bunker guarding the front of the green. He’s left with a fried egg. He hoicks that one out into the centre of the green, and the slope gathers his ball back to 20 feet, but he’s got that for a finishing bogey. Nobody saw any of that coming.
McIlroy gives his birdie putt enough juice, but it’s always dying off to the right. He taps in for his par, and he signs for a 73 which, while far from ideal, could have been a hell of a lot worse. It keeps him in contention at -1.
A huge break for Rory McIlroy! He’s underneath a tree, but gets a line-of-sight drop due to a nearby TV tower. He’s now able to draw a wedge into the green ... and that’s exactly what he does! Into the heart of the green, using the camber to bring the ball back to 25 feet. He’ll have a look for birdie, which would have seemed like a pipe dream when he was watching his drive hook towards the trees! Once he’s played and moved on, Jon Rahm pulls his tee shot into a bunker on the left.
The defending champ moves into the lead on his own! Jon Rahm booms a drive down the inviting 17th, screeches a chip to a halt six feet in front of the flag, and rolls in for his third birdie in the last four holes! Meanwhile on 18, Rory McIlroy hooks his drive towards trouble down the left. That’s miles wide. The shape of his Sunday depends on where that’s ended up.
-5: Rahm (17)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Fitzpatrick (F)
-2: Bradley (F), Hadwin (F), Scheffler (F)
-1: Burns (F), McIlroy (17), Dahmen (16)
McIlroy rolls in his 12-foot par saver on 17! He really is clinging onto the leaders by the fingertips! His sheer determination is as impressive as his general play has been poor. If he can get home without any further damage, he’d be entitled to consider this a masterclass in damage limitation. Eight one-putts in his last nine holes! Meanwhile on 18, Scheffler flips out of the sand to 12 feet and sets about the ground beneath him with some irritated downward axe chops ... but he calms down, rolls in the saver, and clenches his fist in celebration. Despite an awful run on the back nine, he’s steadied the ship and will be right in the mix tomorrow! He joins the group in the clubhouse at -2.
“Keep your head, Rory! Keep your head, man! Keep your head!” Some beneficial advice issued by someone in the gallery as McIlroy thins his approach to 17 over the green, then fails to commit to his next chip, leaving a long par putt. He considers burying the hosel of his wedge into the turf; thankfully the aforementioned self-appointed head doctor talks him out of it. Meanwhile par for Rahm at 16, and a poser for Scheffler on 18, as he doesn’t get the distance with his second and finds himself in Fitzpatrick’s Bunker.
Jon Rahm only just finds the front of the 15th green ... but he pours the 25-foot birdie putt into the centre of the cup, and the defending champion grabs himself a share of the lead!
-4: Zalatoris (F), Fitzpatrick (F), Rahm (15)
-2: Bradley (F), Hadwin (F), Scheffler (17)
-1: Burns (F), McIlroy (16), Dahmen (14)
Finally, some joy for Scottie Scheffler! Since holing out from 100 yards at the par-five 8th for eagle, nothing’s gone his way. Three bogeys and one double later, he makes birdie at 17 after crashing a big drive down the middle, then executing a textbook chip and putt. He’s back to -2, and despite all the travails of the back nine, is still only two shots off the lead!
A big up and down from the sand at 15 by Rory McIlroy. Another pump of the fist. He isn’t on it at all today, but this is all about keeping within striking distance of the leaders. See also 16, where he again finds greenside sand, only to whip up over the huge face of the bunker to kick-in distance. He remains at -1.
An awful break for Sam Burns, who clips a delicate chip down the 18th green. It looks like heading in, but clips Matt Fitzpatrick’s marker, slowing it up, three feet short. Happily he makes the par putt that remains. A decent 71 and he’s -1. Fitzpatrick meanwhile can’t tickle his par putt in, and closes with a bogey, but he’ll be thrilled with his second 68 of the week nonetheless. He’s got a share of the clubhouse and tournament lead with Will Zalatoris at -4.
The defending champ Jon Rahm bounces back from that disappointing bogey at 13 with birdie at the par-five 14th. He moves back to -3. Meanwhile up on 18, Fitzpatrick lobs high out of the bunker, hoping the bank towards the rear of the green will bring his ball back towards the hole. It does a bit, but not by much. He’ll be left with a 25-footer to save his par.
Matt Fitzpatrick sends his tee shot into the gallery down the right of 18. He gets a decent lie, but doesn’t take advantage, his ball dunking into the bunker guarding the front of the green. Sam Burns is just over the back in two. Back on 15, McIlroy – who could only par the par-five 14th after hitting the branches of a tree from the centre of the fairway – plops his approach into greenside sand. Will Zalatoris and Keegan Bradley will be feeling pretty good about life at the moment.
Par down the last for Adam Hadwin, and he signs for a very acceptable 70, something that didn’t look too likely after bogeys at 2 and 4. The 18-hole leader is in good nick going into Sunday at -2.
Collin Morikawa plays the 13th much like Jon Rahm before him. A wild drive, a lay-up, an overcooked approach, an overly excitable par putt rolled a few feet past. But unlike Rahm, he can’t make the bogey one coming back, and it’s his second double bogey of the day. Most unMorikawaian. He’s +1, and maybe thoughts will turn to defending his Open Championship next month.
Sam Burns can’t find the green from the awkward position he’s found down the right of 17. He can’t get up and down, and slips back to -1. But going the other way, his partner Matt Fitzpatrick, who pitches to eight feet and rolls in to take sole ownership of the lead! Three birdies in four holes for Fitzpatrick, who is one solid hole away from surely playing in the last match on Sunday for the second major in succession!
-5: Fitzpatrick (17)
-4: Zalatoris (F)
-2: Bradley (F), Hadwin (17), Rahm (13)
Updated
Nothing’s going right for Scottie Scheffler. A roll across 15 looks like dropping for a much-needed birdie, but it turns to the right at the very last inch. Just a par, and he rolls his eyes, but at least he’s snapped that run of double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey. He remains at -1.
A wild drive by Jon Rahm on 13. He’s forced to lay up, then when he wedges into the green, the wind drops and his ball flies 30 feet further than intended. He indulges himself with a minor club-bothering tantrum, slamming them in and out of his bag while saying the word “freakin’” a lot – remarkable linguistic constraint, considering – then races his par attempt six feet past the hole. He calms himself down and rolls in the bogey putt, limiting the damage but dropping back to -2. He’s joined there by Adam Hadwin, coming the other way after rolling in a 25-footer for birdie at 17.
A staunch up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-three 16th for Sam Burns. That keeps him at -2. Matt Fitzpatrick leaves a tentative 20-foot birdie putt short. He stays at -4, then bashes a long drive down 17 that leaves him a short pitch in. Burns sends a wild slice into trouble on the right.
McIlroy steers in his downhill right-to-left par putt on 13! He fist-pumps the air again. He knows how important these saves could be, especially when he’s not bringing his best stuff. He remains at -1. Double for his partner Aaron Wise, though, and he clatters back to level par for the championship.
Scottie Scheffler drops yet another shot! He’s all over the place at the par-five 13th from the get-go, hitting a tree down the right with his drive and zig-zagging his way up the hole. His last four holes: 5-5-5-6. Wow. He’s really struggling. Sam Burns however birdies 14 and 15 to haul himself back into the picture ... and his partner Matt Fitzpatrick has done the same! He follows up his aforementioned birdie on 14 by arrowing his approach at 15 to five feet. He mops up, and he’s tied for the lead!
-4: Zalatoris (F), Fitzpatrick (15)
-3: Rahm (12)
-2: Bradley (F), Burns (15), Wise (12)
-1: Hadwin (16), Scheffler (14), McIlroy (12), Buckley (12), Dahmen (12), Morikawa (12)
Rory McIlroy hooks his tee shot into trees down the left of 13, and is forced to chip out sideways. He gives himself a chance of saving his par, though, whipping a 7-iron from 180 yards to ten feet. His partner Aaron Wise, having sent his drive into the thick rough down the right, squirts his second into the water guarding the green. This could be a costly hole for both players.
Jon Rahm trundles a birdie opportunity on 12 five feet past the hole. He takes his time over the one coming back. He pours it into the middle, and remains one off the lead at -3. Adam Hadwin, who had birdied 14 after holing a chip from a bank high to the left of the green, hands the shot straight back at 15; he’s -1.
A word on Bradley’s playing partner today. You’ll remember Xander Schauffele falling to bits on the front nine. Out in 42! And this from a player who’s never previously finished lower than seventh at a US Open. Well, he’ll suffer that fate this week, but he did a fine job of salvaging some pride on the back nine: birdies at 14, 17 and 18, and while he’s still signing for a ruinous 75, his supper will taste a little better this evening.
Par down the last for the local lad Keegan Bradley. The 2011 PGA champion signs for an excellent 69, soaks up the warmth from the gallery, and will be going out late tomorrow afternoon.
Rory McIlroy makes exactly the same mistakes as Scottie Scheffler on 12. Short with his second, a chip that doesn’t get up the false front, two putts for bogey. He’s back to -1, though having left himself well short with the first putt, he’s done well to hold firm and limit the damage. He’s back to -1.
An arch touch by NBC, who flash up the leaderboard and soundtrack it with a blast of More Than A Feeling. I won’t insult your intelligence by explaining why, though seeing they’re getting all literal about this, Gene Clark knocks Brad Delp and Tom Scholz’s hard-rock combo into a cocked hat.
Will Zalatoris smoothly rolls in the par putt on 18, and that’s a quite astonishing 67 in exceptionally difficult conditions, even by US Open standards. He’s out in the lead at -4 on his own ... although Jon Rahm was inches away from joining him, nearly making a 15-foot birdie putt at 11. Rahm’s joined at -3 by Matt Fitzpatrick, whose eagle putt at 14 never looks like dropping, but nobody’s turning up their nose at birdies today.
-4: Zalatoris (F)
-3: Fitzpatrick (14), Rahm (11)
-2: Bradley (17), Hadwin (14), Scheffler (13), Wise (12), McIlroy (11), Morikawa (10)
Zalatoris splashes out of the bunker to six feet. He’ll have a good chance to save his par. Meanwhile yet another shot shipped by Scottie Scheffler – try saying that after a pint of wine – after a wayward drive at 13. That’s four shots gone in three holes, and the Masters champ is -2.
Will Zalatoris has a route to the green between two stands, and a decent lie. Not sure whether he got a drop or not, but here he is. He plays the percentages, and deliberately sends a stinger into the bunker guarding the front of the green. It would have been devilishly tricky to hold the green from where he was, and an up and down from sand seems less of a risk. Meanwhile on 17, Keegan Bradley drains a 20-footer for birdie, his third in his last five holes, and suddenly he’s -2!
I should have kept quiet. Zalatoris brings out the driver at 18 and sends a huge slice towards the grandstands down the right. Apologies to Will and all his fans for tempting fate. But the stuff about Rory wasn’t so wide of the mark. He finally makes a putt, and fist pumps in celebration. He moves back to -2 and walks off the green looking ten feet tall.
Rory may have turned a corner. He comes very close to chipping in from the fringe at 10, then guides a lovely wedge into the heart of 11. He’s left himself a ten-foot look at birdie, and if he knocks that in, he’ll be just two off the lead of Will Zalatoris, who has just parred 17 in an extremely measured fashion. He looks totally in control of his game and his emotions right now ... and perhaps most importantly, he’s not waving his putter around like a divining rod.
-4: Zalatoris (17)
-3: Scheffler (12)
-3: Wise (10), Rahm (9)
-2: Fitzpatrick (13), Morikawa (8)
Scottie Scheffler is beginning to unravel. He batters a monster drive down 12, only to dump his wedge into the thick stuff guarding the front of the green. Then he chunks another chip, his ball only just reaching the green and toppling back down a small false front. He nearly makes an outrageous par save with a 25-foot putt from the fringe, but that’ll be another shot gone. The eagle at 8 suddenly seems an awfully long time ago.
Jon Rahm’s lid was threatening to flip. Having run up a bogey six at the inviting par-five 8th, his approach into 9 stopped by the side of a bunker, forcing him to play his third baseball style while standing in it. The improvised chip lands well short of the flag, but he rolls in the 15-foot par saver, and that may calm the defending champ – who has been effing and jeffing at some volume this afternoon – down a tad. He turns in 36, at -3 overall.
Will Zalatoris is this close to draining a long birdie putt across 16. He remains at -4, and if he can keep this up for two more holes, he could be in an extremely healthy position come the end of Moving Day. The conditions being what they are, that’s a big if, but you’d certainly rather be in his shoes than all of those players with six, seven, eight, nine, ten holes still to play.
How quickly everything can change. Seconds after Zalatoris makes his birdie on 15, Scheffler dumps his chip from the hazard at 11 onto the side of the bank, then gets a flyer with his second wedge shot. His ball sails 15 feet past the pin, and he can’t make the bogey putt coming back. Elsewhere, Jon Rahm can’t salvage his par at 8, slipping to -3, while Aaron Wise bogeys 9. Look at the leaderboard now ... and all of a sudden, perhaps Rory McIlroy isn’t feeling quite so bad about himself.
-4: Zalatoris (15), Scheffler (11)
-3: Wise (9), Rahm (8)
-2: Fitzpatrick (12), Dahmen (7), Morikawa (7)
-1: Bradley (14), Hadwin (13), Rodgers (11), Hossler (10), McIlroy (9), Buckley (8)
Birdie for the aforementioned Will Zalatoris at 15! He moves to -4. Séamus Power meanwhile rattles in a long par saver on 18 to sign for a 70 and join Denny McCarthy and Gary Woodland in the cigar lounge at +1.
Scottie Scheffler gets up and down from a greenside bunker at 10 to scramble a brilliant par. It looks like he’s the only one out there – with the exception of Will Zalatoris – not losing his head in these testing conditions. But then he bounces a wedge over the back of the short par-three 11th and into the hazard at the back. He’ll have a job on to get up and down successfully from there. Tell you what, Denny McCarthy and Gary Woodland, for some time clubhouse leaders at +1, will have the cigars on right now. The way everyone’s going, they could be in the thick of it by the end of the day.
... not least because others are struggling too! Morikawa sends his second at 7 into a greenside bunker, from which he only finds the fringe. He then hits a hot putt six feet past the hole, and misses the one coming back. A double bogey, and he’s -2. On 8, Rahm’s drive finds the roots of a huge tree, and he’s forced to improvise a left-handed clip back into play. He whips an iron up towards the green, and will have to get up and down from nearby rough to save par. Then Rodgers misses 11 with a wedge, and requires three attempts to chip on. A double, and he’s -1.
McIlroy’s head isn’t on properly today. He screeches a world-class chip at 8 pin high to three feet, but then pulls a skittish putt that’s always missing on the left. He at least knocks in the par putt coming back. While he’s far from the only player going backwards at pace, he’s visibly suffering more than most. Heart always on sleeve. Keep going, Rory.
Updated
Rahm rolls one in at last! He sends a left-to-right slider from 20 feet into the cup at 7, for his first birdie of the day. It moves him back into a share of second at -4. Meanwhile up on 8, McIlroy lands his second onto the green ... but only just ... and it topples off the false front and 50 yards back down the fairway. A big mistake, and one you may recall costing Xander Schauffele dear. Rory had better not get too cute with the chip up.
McIlroy sends his approach at 7 straight at the flag, six feet short. A great opportunity to check his downward momentum, but he pushes his birdie putt well to the right. He looks utterly sickened right now. He’ll need to snap out of it quickly, because it’s still only the front nine on Saturday, and there’s a big opportunity at a par-five coming up. Meanwhile bogey for Morikawa on 6, the punishment for sending his tee shot into a deep, tall-faced bunker. Inevitable bogey for Fitzpatrick on 10. And Scheffler pars 9 to turn in 32. This is looking very good for the world number one right now.
-6: Scheffler (9)
-4: Rodgers (9), Morikawa (6)
-3: Zalatoris (13), Wise (7), Rahm (6), Buckley (6), Dahmen (6)
-2: Fitzpatrick (10), Hossler (7)
-1: Hadwin (11), Burns (10), NeSmith (9), Hardy (8), McIlroy (7)
E: Power (16), Bradley (13)
Matt Fitzpatrick has to get creative on 10. He sends his drive onto the top of the rockery down the right of the fairway. He’s lucky to have any shot at all, his ball wedged between a couple of large boulders. He uses his 3-wood to gently pop it back out and down onto the fairway. He’s back in position, but hitting three into the par four.
A fun stat flashed up by NBC. Scottie Scheffler had made one eagle in the first 247 holes of his US Open career. He’s just made two in the last 13. Elsewhere, Jon Rahm sends a glorious tee shot at 6 to five feet, but a weak birdie effort is always missing on the right. He looks utterly disgusted with himself. Meanwhile back on 5, Collin Morikawa makes bounceback birdie despite flaying his drive into the gallery. He bumps a wedge in to three feet, and he’s just one off the pace set by Scheffler.
-6: Scheffler (8)
-5: Morikawa (5)
-4: Rodgers (8), Wise (6)
-3: Zalatoris (13), Fitzpatrick (9), Rahm (6), Buckley (6), Dahmen (5)
Rory McIlroy is in a hot funk. His tee shot at 6 holds up in the wind and dunks in the rough. He can’t get up and down, and that’s yet another shot gone. He’s -1 ... and his mood won’t improve as he hears the roars ring across Brookline! Scottie Scheffler, who chipped in for eagle at 14 yesterday to ignite his charge up the leaderboard, lands a wedge just past the flag from 110 yards on 8 and screws it back into the cup! Another eagle at a par-five, and suddenly this US Open shifts up a couple of gears! He chest bumps with his caddie and smiles a smile of great contentment.
-6: Scheffler (8)
-4: Rodgers (8), Wise (6), Morikawa (4)
-3: Zalatoris (12), Fitzpatrick (9), Rahm (5), Buckley (5), Dahmen (4)
Updated
Morikawa tickles in his 20-foot, downhill, left-to-right bogey putt! Shades of McIlroy at 3 yesterday! He limits the damage of a dreadfully played hole to bogey. Meanwhile his partner Joel Dahman, having just missed the green with his approach, can’t get up and down and sheds a shot as well. But some positive news from 8. Matt Fitzpatrick makes birdie, then in the following match, Patrick Rodgers stabs a chip onto the green from the rough at the back, his ball swinging round right to left and in for eagle ... and a share of the lead! There are going to be quite a few chances to this leaderboard today. Bear with me.
-4: Rodgers (8), Scheffler (7), Wise (5), Morikawa (4)
-3: Zalatoris (12), Fitzpatrick (8), Rahm (4), Dahmen (4)
Morikawa takes an age to work out the wind. Too long, maybe, because when he finally gets round to taking his shot, he chunks it. His ball settles into the semi-rough 20 yards from the green. He’ll be doing well to limit the damage to bogey here. He whips up and over a bunker, but 20 feet past the flag. Big bogey putt coming up.
The wind is whipping across Brookline and nobody’s looking particularly comfortable right now. Collin Morikawa’s tee shot at 4 disappears into tall fescue down the left. He’s forced to take his medicine and gouge out sideways. Up on 5, Aaron Wise makes a big error from the centre of the fairway, having laid up on the drivable par-four. He pulls his wedge into a deep bunker and can only splash out to 12 feet. He doesn’t hit the par putt, and drops out of the lead ... though unless Morikawa can get up and down from 100-plus yards back on 4, he’ll have a share again in a few minutes.
Birdies at 11 and 13, and Séamus Power is going along nicely at -1. A late bloomer at 35, Power is making his US Open debut this week, having made his Masters debut in April, finishing in the top 30, and his PGA debut last month, tying for ninth. He clearly fancies these big events, and is currently tied 13th. Open debut at St Andrews coming up as well! Some year he’s having.
Aaron Wise joins Collin Morikawa in the lead. The 25-year-old from Vegas crashes a drive miles down 4, chips to five feet, and guides in a tricky putt that oscillates this way and that. Rory McIlroy tries to match him shot for shot, but the putt stays stubbornly high on the right. He remains three off the leaders at -2, and is visibly irritated by his lack of good fortune on the greens so far. Meanwhile Zalatoris calmly flips close from down the bank at 11, and sashays off having completed another fine scramble.
-5: Wise (4), Morikawa (2)
-4: Scheffler (5), Dahmen (2)
-3: Zalatoris (11), Burns (7), Hossler (4), Rahm (3)
-2: Fitzpatrick (7), Rodgers (6), Hardy (4), McIlroy (4)
Will Zalatoris sends what suspiciously looks like a shank into the tall fescue to the right of 10. No bother! He calmly clacks a wedge out of the thick filth to a couple of feet and secures his par. That’s one hell of a scramble, and he remains at -3, though for how much longer? Because he’s been very aggressive at the short downhill par-three 11th, going for the flag positioned in the far right corner, and toppling down the bank and into the rough. He’ll have quite the chip coming back with very little green to work with.
The 3rd hole does a number on Rory McIlroy again. Nothing as dramatic as yesterday’s fescue-embroidered fiasco, but a poor approach leads to bogey. He’s -2. Jon Rahm is unable to get up and down from the side of 2 and slips backwards. Meanwhile the final group have just played the opening hole, Collin Morikawa making a no-fuss par, Joel Dahmen trudging off after a three-putt bogey.
-5: Morikawa (1)
-4: Scheffler (4), Wise (3), Dahmen (1)
-3: Zalatoris (9), Burns (6), Hardy (3), Hossler (3), Rahm (2), Buckley (2)
-2: Fitzpatrick (6), Rodgers (5), McIlroy (3)
Updated
Callum Tarren, briefly two shots clear at the top yesterday, is struggling. He’s followed that opening bogey with a double at 2, then more bogeys at 3 and 6. He’s +4. He can take solace in the fact that he’s far from the only one. The two-time winner Brooks Koepka, who hauled himself back into contention yesterday with a fine 67, has gone out in 40 strokes. He’s +5. The 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed has just bogeyed 10, 11 and 13; he’s +5 too. The 2013 champion Justin Rose is six over for his round through 13. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton have recorded 76s. It’s not easy out there. A lot of suffering going on.
Xander Schauffele has never finished lower than seventh at a US Open in his five previous starts. He’ll not be maintaining that proud record this week. He’s had a complete nightmare of a front nine. Bogeys at 2, 3 and 4, a double at 6, another bogey at 7, and finally bogey at the par-five 8th after seeing his second topple back down the false front of the green, and chips three and four ending up back by his feet. He’s +7.
After a couple of cold holes, Will Zalatoris’s putter warms up again. He fires his approach at 9 to ten feet, then rolls in the birdie putt to turn in 33. Meanwhile Matt Fitzpatrick birdies the generous par-four 5th to regain the shot he dropped at the opening hole.
-5: Morikawa, Dahmen
-4: Scheffler (3), Wise (2), Buckley, Rahm (1)
-3: Zalatoris (9), Burns (5), Hardy (2), Hossler (2), McIlroy (2)
-2: Kim (9), Fitzpatrick (5), Rodgers (3)
The defending champion Jon Rahm is out. He clips a 3-wood down the track, then pauses for an awfully long time as he and his caddie try to suss out what the wind’s up to. They do a pretty good job of working it out, and he’ll have a 12-foot uphill look at birdie. Meanwhile on 3, Scottie Scheffler creams a blind approach to three feet and tidies up for a bounceback birdie. Then on 2, Rory McIlroy sends his tee shot over the back, fails to commit to his chip, leaving a 15-foot putt ... and watches in horror as a putt seemingly destined to topple into the centre of the cup screeches to a stubborn halt on the edge. McIlroy’s jaw almost hits the floor, but he’ll have to tap in and accept the bogey.
-5: Morikawa, Dahmen
-4: Scheffler (3), Wise (1), Buckley, Rahm
Will Zalatoris had a hot putter. Now it’s suddenly stone cold. A par putt missed from eight feet at 7; a birdie effort passes by the hole from similar distance on 8. He’s -2. A poor start for Brian Harman, who bogeys 2 and 3 to slip to -1. And back on 1, Rory McIlroy finds his errant drive in a decent lie, only to hit a hot wedge over the back of the green. But he’s able to chip out of the cabbage to a couple of feet, from where he salvages his par. It’s all about hanging on in there today.
Here comes Rory! A warm ovation from the gallery. Boston Celtics, you see. Then silence as he screams LEFT! and sends his opening drive towards the concession stands down that side of the hole. Danger here. Also some trouble for Scottie Scheffler at the par-three 2nd. He leaves his tee shot short and left, then skulls a chip through the green. He does well to limit the damage by getting up and down from the fringe, but that’s handed back the shot he picked up on 1. He’s back to -3.
Cameron Tringale is also yet to make his mark in the majors. His best finish is a tie for 26th at last year’s Open; he hasn’t played at the US Open since 2015, when he tied for 54th at Chambers Bay. But the 34-year-old Californian is going along nicely this afternoon: turning in level-par 35, he’s just birdied 10, 12 and 13 to whisk himself up the standings to -1.
Sam Burns already has three victories on the PGA Tour this season. The latest came at the Charles Schwab Challenge three weeks ago, so he’s bang in form. He doesn’t have much of a record in the majors yet, but this could be the 25-year-old from Louisiana’s breakthrough event. He rattles in a long birdie putt across 3, and joins the group at -3.
Scottie Scheffler has a nice flat lie in the bunker, and can take a shy at the green from the best part of 200 yards. The Masters champ whips a glorious iron into the heart of the green, straight at the flag. He’ll have a look at birdie and an ideal start from 25 feet. In it goes, calm as you like. What a putt. What a second shot. What a phenomenon Scheffler is. He’s now one off the lead, already an ominous move.
-5: Morikawa, Dahmen
-4: Scheffler (1), Buckley, Rahm, McIlroy, Wise, Hossler
The world number one Scottie Scheffler takes to the 1st tee. He pulls his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker. Meanwhile Tom Kim follows up his eagle at 5 with a 20-foot birdie roll at 7, walking it in, in the Kevin Na style. At -2, Tom is on the right tracks. Sorry. Sorry. I’m sorry.
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Not the start Matt Fitzpatrick wanted. A three-footer for par pulled left at 1. He slips back to -1. He left the flagstick in there, as he usually does, but the wind was blowing it around like crazy. That surely can’t have helped. A fair chance he’ll be taking it out for the shorter putts from now. Meanwhile on 6, Will Zalatoris misses the green to the right and doesn’t get particularly close with his chip on, but he steers in the left-to-right 12-footer to remain at -3.
-5: Morikawa, Dahmen
-4: Buckley, Rahm, McIlroy, Wise, Hossler
-3: Zalatoris (6), Hardy, Scheffler, NeSmith, Rodgers, Harman
-2: Burns (2)
-1: Kim (6), Lingmerth (4), Vick -a- (2), Hadwin (2), Fitzpatrick (2)
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Min Woo Lee already has one big title to his name: last year’s Scottish Open, which the young Australian won after a final round of 64 and a play-off with Thomas Detry and Matt Fitzpatrick. He’s also got the US Junior Amateur on his resumé, and when he won that in 2016 it meant he and sister Minjee, who lifted the US Girls’ Junior in 2012, became the first brother and sister to land both of the USGA’s junior championships. Minjee, of course, won the US Women’s Open just a couple of weeks ago in sensational style. Little bro won’t be completing another double this week, but he has finished up with birdies at 17 and 18 for a round of 69 to end Moving Day at +2. Maybe next year?
Kim Joo-hyung, 19 years old from Seoul, is making his US Open debut this week. He’s not wasting any time, either. A 68 yesterday, and now he’s just holed out from 50 yards at the par-four 6th for eagle. Kim – who has already been in the winner’s circle this year, with his second Asian Tour title at the Singapore International in January – is known to friends and family as Tom. Why? “Actually, it was Thomas. I got it from Thomas the train when I was young. I had the whole thing, I had the lunchbox, I had the toys, yeah. As I grew older, some people started calling me Tom and I thought it was just shorter and more simple. My brother even calls me Tom. It was kind of natural. And my family calls me Tom as well, my friends call me Tom, so it kind of just came natural to me. It was that kind of name.” Tom is currently -1 overall.
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Will Zalatoris gets plenty of pelters for his erratic putting, but when he’s on, he’s on. A long birdie effort drained at 2, another chance shaving the cup at 3, and now he’s picked up another shot with another rake on 4! This guy loves the majors – five top-ten finishes in seven starts, including two runner-up places – and he promised he’d try his damnedest to go one better after losing the PGA play-off to Justin Thomas last month. He could be making good on that. He’s -3.
Callum Tarren has announced his talent this week. The 31-year-old from Darlington led the US Open by a couple of shots at one point yesterday, and they’ll never take that away from him. But he suffered a dismal back nine yesterday, coming back in 38, and it may have rocked his confidence. A shaky three-putt bogey at 1 and he slips back to level par overall.
It’s tough out there, and it’s only going to get tougher. But it’s always possible to post a score. Denny McCarthy is in with a two-under 68, though the 29-year-old from Maryland demonstrates how you have to keep on scrapping at 18, tapping a 20-foot birdie putt that runs and runs and runs five feet past. He’s not of a mind to spoil his good work on the the very last hole, though, steeling himself to roll in the par putt. He’s +1, currently outside the top 20, but on Sky, the ever-excellent Dame Laura Davies suggests he’ll certainly be inside it come the end of an attritional day.
The only truly notable move so far has been made by the PGA runner-up Will Zalatoris. The 25-year-old from San Francisco has already made his mark on the US Open, making a hole-in-one during his first round at Winged Foot in 2020 then very nearly making another six holes later. A dimple away from history. He tied for sixth that year. He’s going along nicely this year too, having carded 69 and 70 while under the radar for the first two days. He only just gets onto the front of the par-three 2nd with his tee shot, but steers in a long right-to-left swinger for birdie, then nearly drains another at 3. He’s made the first move near the top of the leaderboard to -2.
Having said all that, one of the first players to complete his round today has done so under par. Sebastián Muñoz finished birdie-birdie, and signed for a one-under 69. The 29-year-old Colombian’s best finish at a US Open was a tie for 59th at Winged Foot a couple of years ago; at +2 overall, he’s currently tied for 30th and on course to better that significantly.
... so, any early movers, then? Well, the wind has been brisk at Brookline ... so no. Of the 40-odd players already out there, a grand total of three are currently under par for their rounds, and one of those has only played two holes. The USGA will be cock-a-hoop. Hey, it’s the US Open, it’s just how it’s got to be. The average score on the front nine on the first two days was 35.9; today it’s 36.9. The wind’s expected to pick up, as well, which in turn will further harden the greens. Expect it to be a grind ... but grinding, as Prince never tired of telling us, can be a very enjoyable experience indeed. Here we go, then.
Preamble
It’s Moving Day! Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looked after 36 holes ...
-5: Morikawa, Dahmen
-4: Buckley, Rahm, McIlroy, Wise, Hossler
-3: Hardy, Scheffler, NeSmith, Rodgers, Harman
-2: Burns, Fitzpatrick, Hadwin
-1: Daffue, Tarren, Vick (a), Lingmerth, Riley, Schauffele, Bradley, Zalatoris
... here’s a selected list of players who missed the cut …
Sergio Garcia, Im Sung-jae, Mito Pereira, Cory Conners, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Jason Kokrak, Jim Furyk, Cameron Young, Stewart Cink, Kevin Na, Tony Finau, Kim Si-woo, Daniel Berger, Harold Varner III, Branden Grace, Cameron Smith, Louis Oosthuizen, Francesco Molinari, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Phil Mickelson
... and here are today’s tee times (all times local, add five hours for BST). It’s on!
09:49 (a) Stewart Hagestad, Joseph Bramlett
10:00 Patrick Cantlay, Sebastian Munoz (Col)
10:11 (a) Sam Bennett, Denny McCarthy
10:22 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Samuel Stevens
10:33 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Min-Woo Lee (Aus)
10:44 Chris Naegel, Chris Gotterup
10:55 Guido Migliozzi (Ita), Grayson Murray
11:06 Max Homa, Adam Scott (Aus)
11:22 Wil Besseling (Ned), Jordan Spieth
11:33 Richard Bland (Eng), Todd Sinnott (Aus)
11:44 Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English
11:55 (a) Austin Greaser, Gary Woodland
12:06 Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Cameron Tringale
12:17 Marc Leishman (Aus), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
12:28 Patrick Reed, Sebastian Soederberg (Swe)
12:39 Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose (Eng)
12:55 Seamus Power (Irl), Justin Thomas
13:06 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Adam Schenk
13:17 Brandon Matthews, Andrew Putnam
13:28 Joo-Hyung Kim (Kor), Brooks Koepka
13:39 Thomas Pieters (Bel), Will Zalatoris
13:50 Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele
14:01 Davis Riley, David Lingmerth (Swe)
14:12 Callum Tarren (Eng), (a) Travis Vick
14:28 M. J. Daffue (Rsa), Adam Hadwin (Can)
14:39 Sam Burns, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng)
14:50 Brian Harman, Patrick Rodgers
15:01 Matthew NeSmith, Scottie Scheffler
15:12 Beau Hossler, Nick Hardy
15:23 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Aaron Wise
15:34 Hayden Buckley, Jon Rahm (Spa)
15:45 Joel Dahmen, Collin Morikawa
