US OPEN 2017: Four at the top as world’s top three bow out

With four players tied at the top for the first time in 43 years, the US Open is wide open. 

Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Brian Harman and Brooks Koepka sit on seven-under-par as the scoring assault on Erin Hills continued in the same vein as day one. 

And Casey did it even with a triple-bogey 8 on the par 5 14th (his 4th hole of the day). He went on to recover with five consecutive birdies to secure his spot in the final pairing on Saturday with Brian Harman –  who won the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this year.

Incidentally, if Casey went on to win he would be the first US Open champion to card a triple bogey since Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000. 

“Not every day you enjoy a round of golf with an eight. For me, it felt like [the course] played tougher today,” Casey said. 

“If the sun stays like it is and the wind keeps baking this golf course out, it’s going to be pretty treacherous on the weekend, which is just what I would like, and I think what the rest of the players want to see.”

Fellow Englishman and two-time European Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood closed his round with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th for his share of the lead. 

“Tomorrow will be a very cool experience,” said Fleetwood. “It’s still Saturday and 36 holes is a very long time in a U.S. Open. Anything can happen.”

It wasn’t as encouraging a day for round one leader Rickie Fowler, who like Casey is looking to shake off his claim to the title this week many don’t want – best player never to have won a major. 

He was unable to match his 65 from Thursday, and despite reaching nine-under par to hold a share of the lead with Brooks Koepka at the turn, a string of bogeys meant he posted a one-over 73 to end up one shot adrift of the leaders.

“I have a tee time on Saturday,” said World No.9 Fowler. “You learn along the way to never really give up. You never know what one shot’s going to count for.”

World No.4 Hideki Matsuyama and Chez Reavie carded the best rounds of the day with seven-under 65s to equalled Rickie Fowler’s feat from day one – making it the first time ever that three players have recorded seven-under-par rounds in the same US Open.

Meanwhile, Masters champion Sergio Garcia finished at three-under with Bernd Wiesberger and Martin Kaymer. 

Watch the best shots from round 2 . . .

World’s best miss the weekend

For the first time since the Official World Golf Ranking’s were established in 1986,  the world’s top three players will miss the weekend in a major.

World No.1 Dustin Johnson began the day with back-to-back birdies and looked like he may be heading the right way, but three bogeys in his last six holes meant he finished three shots off the cut line at +4. 

Rory McIlroy had four bogeys and five birdies during his one-under 71, but he still ended up five-over and four shots off the cut line. 

It was another painful outing for Jason Day, who admitted by the end he was just trying to get out of Rory McIlroy’s way. He hit just eight out of 14 fairways on his way to a three-over 75.

Henrik Stenson, Alex Noren and Jon Rahm made up the rest of the World’s top 10 to miss the cut.