There’s no mercy at Oakmont – and no fairy tales either. Phil Mickelson’s dream of finally landing the U.S. Open and completing the career Grand Slam is officially over. The six-time runner-up missed the cut by a single stroke at +8, bringing a brutal end to what could well be his final tilt at the one Major that’s eluded him.
Official US Open leaderboard
“I thought I had it,” Mickelson admitted. “I didn’t play badly, but I just didn’t capitalise when I had the chance.” A missed 15-footer on the last hole summed up a frustrating two days for the 55-year-old, who may now never get another crack at America’s toughest Major.
Bryson Out
Adding salt to the wound? Bryson DeChambeau, the defending champion and one of Oakmont’s most feared power players, also crashed out at +10. His 76 on Friday was littered with errors, and the man who overpowered Winged Foot and held off all-comers at Pinehurst couldn’t tame Oakmont’s snarling fairways and glassy greens.
But while the stars faded, Sam Burns ignited. The five-time PGA Tour winner blitzed the field with a sublime 65 in round two – the lowest score of the tournament so far and just the third sub-66 round ever recorded in a U.S. Open at Oakmont. “It felt really nice,” Burns said. “You’ve got to hit it in the right spots and take your chances. I did that today.”
Rain changes things
Overnight rain has softened the famously treacherous greens, which could open the floodgates for aggressive players like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler to go pin-hunting over the weekend. Rory, despite a scrappy 72, looks poised to pounce. And Scheffler – never out of it – has history on his side when the conditions shift in his favour.
Viktor Hovland, meanwhile, remains in the mix after a tidy 68, with 11 sub-par holes already under his belt – a stat matched only by Burns. And don’t sleep on Adam Scott – the Australian veteran is striping his irons like it’s 2013 all over again.
So, as the leaderboard tightens and the rain eases up, Oakmont is there for the taking – but only for those brave enough to attack. The weekend promises fireworks. Mickelson and Bryson are gone. But Rory, Scottie, Burns and the iron men are just getting started.
