Sam Burns Leads After Tough Second Round at U.S. Open

Oakmont, Pennsylvania – Sam Burns shot an impressive five-under-par 65 on Friday, taking the lead at the 125th U.S. Open. The tournament has seen top players struggle on the treacherous Oakmont course, with only three competitors finishing under par after two rounds.

Burns entered the day trailing but managed to pull ahead with consistent play, ultimately finishing with a total of three under par. He said, “The golf course is really too difficult to try to figure out what’s a good score and what’s not.” His approach focused on patience and handling each hole one shot at a time.

Rory McIlroy also showcased determination, battling through frustrations and a rocky start of two double bogeys. He eventually settled down, finishing with a solid 72, keeping him in the tournament with a six-over aggregate. Despite earlier missteps, McIlroy displayed a fighting spirit, making crucial birdies on the 15th and 18th holes.

The U.S. Open has been a harsh test for many players. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau made an early exit with a score of 10 over par after rounds of 77 and 73. Other notable names like Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson also failed to make the cut.

Jon Rahm, who shot a 75, expressed his frustration at the challenging conditions, stating, “I’m too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective.” Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler mirrored those sentiments, acknowledging the difficulty of the course.

The pressure was palpable at Oakmont, where mistakes result in penalties or lost strokes. Shane Lowry, for example, incurred a one-stroke penalty when he forgot to mark his ball before lifting it on the 14th green.

Among the impressive rounds was Viktor Hovland’s two-under par 68, putting him in contention. He shared his thoughts on maintaining a positive mindset, stating, “I felt like I kept things together very well.”

As players look to advance, the second round reflected the relentless challenge posed by Oakmont, leading to dramatic shifts and emotional highs and lows. With the cutline set, players will need to adjust and persevere as they head into the weekend.