2020 US Open: Patrick Reed leads by a shot at Winged Foot

Patrick Reed has a one-shot lead heading into the US Open weekend after a chaotic second round in windy conditions at Winged Foot.

But fellow American Reed birdied the last while climbing to four under par.

The leader of the night, Justin Thomas, fell back with a 73 of three over, while Rory McIlroy is seven adrift after a 76.

Thomas started the second round five under par, but had four bogeys and a double bogey before a pair of birdies in his final holes lifted him to two under.

McIlroy of Northern Ireland, chasing his fifth major and first since 2014, started the day two shots behind the leader and birdied the first. But seven bogeys and a double bogey followed when it fell to three over par.

World number one Dustin Johnson is also at three after dropping two shots on his last three holes on a par 70.

Former Masters champion Reed made five bogeys during his level 70 pair on Friday, but was continually able to recover shots and a birdie at the 557-yard ninth par-five, his 18th, leading to the world number 10. to an individual advantage.

“Yesterday was smooth, benign, the pins were more accessible,” said Reed, who started with a four-under 66 Thursday.

“It’s almost like they had it set up to make it easier for us and then they showed us what it was really going to be like. You had to shoot a casualty on Thursday because you knew Friday was going to be brutal.”

DeChambeau, who signed for 68 from two-under, was one of only three players to shoot below par, with fellow American Bubba Watson and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama scoring 69.

However, 17 players sit six shots behind the lead at the midpoint of the second men’s major of 2020, which was delayed from June due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DeChambeau shines in tough conditions

DeChambeau stated earlier in the week that he would be looking to dominate Winged Foot’s notoriously difficult West Course, where only one of the five winners of the men’s US Open has finished under par.

The world number nine, the longest average driver on the PGA Tour last season, showed that power with a 380-yard drive on the ninth par-five, his final hole, before pitching to six feet to prepare his eagle to be about.

DeChambeau revealed some late night workouts after his first round paid off, as the 27-year-old achieved the best round of the day.

“I knew it was going to be cooler, so I waited and was able to hit balls almost in the dark,” added the American, who said the windy conditions made it “super difficult.”

“I knew there were going to be similar conditions, so we got good numbers on my wedges and I felt really comfortable.”

Watson, who nearly returned home Wednesday to be with his family when Hurricane Sally hit Florida, was the only other player in the first wave to shoot below par.

The one-below-zero 69 of the American would have looked even better had it not been for a double bogey on his last hole that put him to one more for the weekend.

Thomas, the world number three, one of the last starters, got off to a troubled start with four bogeys over five holes in his first nine holes before double bogeying the first, the 10th.

But he recovered with birdies on both par threes down the stretch to sign a three over 73 that leaves him at two under par.

Only six players are below par heading into the third round, with Harris English tied with Thomas at two-under after following up his 68 start with a well-built 70 on Friday.

Woods, Fleetwood, and Rose are heading home

Players enjoyed unusually benign conditions on opening day at Winged Foot, where Geoff Ogilvy won five over par in 2006 when the US Open was last held, but the West Course began to rally on Friday.

Despite the relatively low scores, neither player scored a round without ghosts on the first day, and the difficult pin positions during a windy second round maintained a very high score.

Xander Schauffele, one of the favorites to win his first major, birdied at 11 to briefly move within two shots of the leader, but three bogeys on his final five holes saw the American finish two out of 72 to sit level for the tournament.

South African Louis Oosthuizen had also edged within two of the lead, but followed back-to-back bogeys with a double at last to score a 74 and slide to one over par.

Thomas Pieters, who started the day four-under, took the lead with two birdies in the first nine, but was undone after the turn when six bogeys saw him drop to par.

“It’s definitely twice as tough as Thursday, in the wind,” said the Belgian after his 74 of four over par.

Former England world number one Lee Westwood also failed to build on a 67 start, starting his round with back-to-back bogeys and adding another in the sixth.

A birdie at the ninth par five offered the 47-year-old some relief, but he dropped four shots on his final three holes for a six-for-76 that leaves him three over par for the week.

His compatriot Matt Wallace is two further behind at five, along with Scotsman Robert MacIntyre

However, 2018 runner-up Tommy Fleetwood struggled to find any momentum as five birdies were knocked out by nine knockdowns, including a double bogey in the second to finish eight more and miss the cut, which came to six over par. .

Justin Rose, the 2013 winner, also lost 10 over, while Gary Woodland’s US Open defense came to an end with a second round of 74.

And Tiger Woods? The three-time US Open winner, who missed the cut at Winged Foot in 2006 following the death of his father, will also miss this year’s weekend.

“It’s frustrating that I’m not going to be here for the weekend,” said Woods, who finished with 10 more. “It seems like the way the golf course is changing, anyone who makes the cut has a chance to win this championship.”