Oakmont (United States) (AFP) – Norway’s Viktor Hovland charged within one stroke of leader J.J. Spaun early in Friday’s second round at the US Open while five-time major winner Brooks Koepka made a run only to fade. Spaun’s four-under par 66 opening round on Thursday matched the lowest first-round score in a US Open at Oakmont and was only the eighth bogey-free first round ever conjured at the iconic layout. The American’s career-low major round put him one stroke ahead of South African Thriston Lawrence with both set for afternoon tee times on Friday.
Hovland, chasing his first major title, fired a 71 on Thursday and used spectacular shotmaking Friday to bolster his chances. Hovland, a winner at the PGA Tour Valspar Championship in March, sank a birdie putt from just inside 53 feet at the 10th hole and made a seven-footer for birdie at the par-five 12th. At 17, Hovland drove into left greenside rough and then chipped in for an eagle from 55 feet to pull within a stroke of the lead. At the 18th, Hovland found the right rough off the tee and made bogey, but responded at the first hole with a 23-foot birdie putt to again pull within a stroke of Spaun. Hovland’s best major finish was a share of second at the 2023 PGA Championship. His top US Open result was 12th in his 2019 debut when he was the low amateur.
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Koepka, whose 68 Thursday left him two adrift of countryman Spaun, had three birdies and five bogeys in his first 11 holes. Koepka opened Friday with a bogey at the 10th hole, finding right rough and missing a 10-foot par putt, but sank an 11-foot birdie putt at 11 and reached the green in two to set up a tap-in birdie at the par-five 12th. He found the right rough on the next three holes to set up a bogey at 15, an 18-foot birdie chip-in at 17, and a bogey at 18, then began his back side with bogeys at the first and second holes to sink to level par.
Moving to two-under was American Sam Burns, who made four birdies on the back nine to climb within two of the lead after an opening 72. Spain’s Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner, shot 69 Thursday but found a right fairway bunker off the first tee and made bogey, then added back-to-back bogeys at eight and nine to stand on two-over. South Korean Im Sung-jae, who opened on 68, made four bogeys in his first nine holes to fall back.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who shot 73 Thursday, opened with a birdie at the 10th hole but stumbled with bogeys at 15, 17, and the first. Scheffler has won three of his past four starts, including last month’s PGA Championship, and hopes to become the first back-to-back major winner since Jordan Spieth in 2015. World number two Rory McIlroy, who won the Masters in April to complete a career Grand Slam, was set for an afternoon tee time following an opening 74. The five-time major winner from Northern Ireland shared 62nd after round one, with only the top 60 and ties set to make the 36-hole cut.
© 2024 AFP
