Aberg grabs US Open lead, DeChambeau one back

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg led the U.S. Open in the second round on Friday at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, while Bryson DeChambeau was in a group one shot back and Tiger Woods did not make the cut.

Masters' runner-up Aberg, attempting to become the first U.S. Open champion to win in his debut since Francis Ouimet in 1913, shot a one-under-par 69 to finish the week at five under on the difficult Pinehurst No. 2 layout.

That put Aberg one shot ahead of DeChambeau (69), overnight co-leader Patrick Cantlay (71), and Belgian Thomas Detry (67), with Rory McIlroy (72), Tony Finau (69), and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon trailing further behind.

"A U.S. Open is supposed to be hard. It's supposed to be tricky, and it's supposed to challenge any aspect of your game. And I feel like it's really doing that," said Aberg.

"But super fortunate with the way that things have turned out over the last couple days, and hopefully we'll be able to keep it up."

Aberg was nearly flawless once again, finding fairways that allowed him to avoid danger on every corner at Pinehurst No. 2, and he finished with three birdies and two bogeys.

The Swede is the first non-American to hold an outright 36-hole lead in the US Open since Germany's Martin Kaymer in 2014 at Pinehurst.

Pavon, who started his day on the back nine with two consecutive birdies, was tied with Aberg with two holes to play but bogeyed both to fall behind.

DeChambeau, who finished second at last month's PGA Championship, had a rocky start but rallied with back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 before bogeying 15 after his tee shot found a bunker.

The 2020 U.S. Open champion, one of 12 LIV Golf players in the 156-player field, finished his round in style, tapping in for birdie after leaving his approach shot 15 inches from the cup.

"I'm excited for the game that I have right now," DeChambeau said. "I feel pretty confident and ready to get after it this weekend."

McIlroy, who was looking for his fifth major, was unable to build on his bogey-free opening round, finishing with an adventurous 72 that included near-misses and stunning par-saves, including a chip in for par at the par-three 17th after putting off the green.

"Overall, I felt like I did a pretty good job at keeping some of the mistakes off the scorecard," said McIlroy. "I wish I had converted a couple more of the chances."

Detry mastered Pinehurst No. 2's notoriously difficult dome-shaped greens, making nine one-putts on the day, the last at the 12th hole, where he rolled in a 22-footer.

"I feel like this week, you make a par, you gain on the field, keep moving on," said Detry. "I always seem to do better that way. It puts a little bit less pressure on my putting. When I have a birdie chance, it's like a bonus."

Scheffler, the Masters champion who entered the year's third major as the clear favourite, was unable to capitalise on quality iron shots but made the cut with a 74, leaving him at five over for the week.

"This golf course can be unpredictable at times, and maybe it got the better of me the last couple days," said Scheffler.

Tiger Woods, who received a special exemption to play this week, missed the cut for the second straight major after shooting a three-over-par 73, putting him at seven over for the week.

"It was probably the highest score I could have shot today," a frustrated Woods said before adding it "may or may not be" his last U.S. Open start.

Other players who missed the cut included world number five Viktor Hovland, 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson, who was attempting to complete the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors.

Former British Open champion Francesco Molinari appeared to be on his way home until he became the first player in U.S. Open history to make the cut with an ace on the 36th hole.

"I don't even know what to say. Just incredible," Molinari said.

SportsLigue