Christiaan Bezuidenhout made three bogeys in the first seven holes on Friday, but three birdies from the ninth to the 15th and a closing bogey on 18 saw him home in one-over-par 71 in the second round of the US Open.
In the 124th playing of the major, this one at Pinehurst No 2 in North Carolina, it was a struggle as usual on a course made to play even more difficult than it usually does, and Bezuidenhout’s three-over total at halfway left him just eight shots off the lead which was held by Ludvig Åberg of Sweden.
At five-under, Åberg led by one from Bryson DeChambeau, Thomas Detry of Belgium and American Patrick Cantlay. Rory McIlroy, Matthieu Pavon of France and Tony Finau of the United States shared fifth at three-under.
Dean Burmester also had a one-over 71 to make the cut. He was on five-over at halfway.
Casey Jarvis had a 78 to move to nine-over and miss the cut in his first major, and Erik van Rooyen carded a two-over 72 to reach eight-over and also miss out on the weekend’s action.
Åberg, who is playing in his first ever US Open, carded a one-under 69. Pavon nearly matched him, but a pair of late bogeys sent him two shots back.
Cantlay and McIlroy, who each fired a 65 to open the week on Thursday, both took a step back on what was a very hot Friday in North Carolina. Cantlay will enter Moving Day a shot back in third alongside DeChambeau and Detry.
McIlroy, who hasn’t won a major championship in nearly a decade now, will start Saturday two shots back. He carded a two-over 72 on Friday.
Scottie Scheffler, who has been nothing short of dominant all season, just barely made the cut. He was looking at what would have been his first missed cut in 672 days. Scheffler made it on the number at five-over.
