Bryson on the rise as Asia’s Matsuyama, Kim are in contention at US Open

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg led the 124th US Open at the halfway stage on 5 under par 135 as Pinehurst’s number 2 course continued to test the field and left a number of notables on the sidelines after the 36-hole cut including Tiger Woods, defending champion Wyndham Clark, Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland, past Hero World Challenge topper Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson.

Playing in his first US Open since 2020, three-time past champion Woods (74-73, 7 over 147) missed his second consecutive cut at the tournament and the fourth in his last five starts at the year’s third major. It was also the second consecutive second round exit at a major for Tiger after last month’s PGA Championship.

“I hit a lot of good shots that just didn't quite go my way, or I hit good putts, and then I put myself in a couple bad spots with some bad lag putts,” Woods said later. “But again, it was probably the highest score I could have shot today.”

Aberg followed his opening 4 under 66 with a 69 and had a clutch of three – Bryson DeChambeau (67-69), Belgium’s Thomas Detry (69-67) and overnight joint leader Partick Cantlay (65-71) – hard on his heels with 4 under 136s as 71 professionals and three amateurs made the cut at 5-over 145 from a field of 140 professionals and 16 amateurs.

The high cut number allowed world number one and event favourite Scottie Scheffler (71-74) scramble into the money rounds at the $21.5 million championship in a group of 18 that also numbered Indian-American Sahith Theegala (77-68), two-time US Open winner Brooks Koepka (70-75) and Italy’s Francesco Molinari (73-72) who aced his closing par-3 9th hole to squeeze through.

Austria’s Sepp Straka (T27) recorded the day’s other hole-in-one ahead of Molinari.

Lanky left-hander Akshay Bhatia held on to his place in the top 10 with a 1 over 71 to follow an opening 68 on Thursday alongside Korea’s Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim (71-68) in shared ninth place while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (72-66) was one spot above them in sole eighth place.

Masters champion in 2021, Matsuyama shot the day’s low round featuring four birdies without a bogey to sit on 2 under 138 at Pinehurst No. 2, three strokes back of Aberg, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (65-72), seeking a fifth career major and his first in 10 years, was amongst three tied for fifth place on 137 after starting the day as co-leader with Cantlay, the PGA Tour said.

Three-time PGA Tour winner Kim racked up five birdies against three bogeys for a 139 total as he looks to improve on last year’s eighth place finish in the year’s third major. Compatriots S.H. Kim and Si Woo Kim posted matching 72s for tied 21st and equal 37th respectively. No Asian player has won the US Open since its inception in 1895, which Matsuyama, a nine-time winner, and Kim will challenge for over the weekend.

The 32-year-old Matsuyama, who was a joint runner-up at Erin Hills in 2017 for his best US Open finish, credited his short game for his rise up the leaderboard in one of the toughest tests of the year. “I feel it's a great test for all the players. I felt like I was playing really well today,” said the Japanese superstar, who won the Genesis Invitational in February to become the most successful Asian on the PGA Tour.

“It's very difficult, obviously. I really had difficulty on this golf course, but I managed to save par a few times. Hopefully, I can keep that momentum through the weekend. My short game was on point today, and that really helped my overall performance. I still need to make some adjustments to my iron game, and hopefully, I can do that throughout the week.”

Matsuyama's brilliance with his irons was evident once again when he notched a hat-trick of birdies from the third hole after starting his day from the 10th. “The third and fourth, it was great shot and great putt. Had a really good momentum. On the fifth, I hit the tee shot left. I was able to recover from there. It was about a 10-footer birdie putt. It was really good flow.”

Kim, who is competing in his seventh straight week, intends to keep his momentum going in his chase for major glory. The 21-year-old enjoyed a season’s first top-10 at the RBC Canadian Open a few weeks ago, and intends to improve on his 23rd place finish in his US Open debut in 2022 and tied for eighth last season. He feels up to the severe test at Pinehurst.

“I'm really pleased to have shot under par. This course really brings out the best in you, both mentally and skill-wise. I did a really good job staying grounded all day and fought well,” said Kim, whose best major finish was a tied second at last year’s The Open Championship.

He brilliantly birdied holes 4, 5 and 7 on his inward nine to ensure a late tee time on Saturday. “Yeah, it was really big. I hit a really good tee shot on 4. Somehow just got in that bunker. Hit a really, really good 5-iron to three and a half, four feet. Kind of got the momentum on the back nine. Made another smelly 7-, 8-footer for birdie there. Just kind of kept the momentum going. Really nice to hit that nice little 8-iron on 7, for another 3-footer, which kind of takes the stress off.

“I think I just enjoy it (the US Open). It's a tough test. I think what I really appreciate about it is got to be mentally tough. As good as you need to be skill set-wise, it's all mentally and physically you just got to be there all the time."

A year after turning professional, the 24-year-old Aberg continued to dazzle, adding a 69 to his opening 66 and position himself potentially to be the first player to win the US Open on debut since Francis Ouimet in 1913. “I think a US Open is supposed to be hard. It's supposed to be tricky, and it's supposed to challenge any aspect of your game,” said Aberg.

“And I feel like it's really doing that. 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.” No Swedish player has won the US Open, the previous best being fourth place by Niclas Fasth in 2007, Robert Karlsson T4 in 2008 and Henrik Stenson T4 in 2014.

Second round leaders

1. 5 under 135 Ludvig Åberg (66-69)

T2. 4 under 136 Bryson DeChambeau (67-69), Thomas Detry (69-67), Patrick Cantlay (65-71)

T5. 3 under 137 Rory McIlroy (65-72), Tony Finau (68-69), Matthieu Pavon (67-70)