Open through two rounds of play after firing a second-round 67 on Friday, making him co-leader of the championship with Russell Henley entering Moving Day at Torrey Pines.
A successful 36-hole sprint to the finish won’t come easy for Bland or Henley on the unforgiving terrain of Torrey Pines, especially not on this mega-stage with this field in pursuit.
He then went on another par streak of seven before dropping in a birdie and finally closing with a bogey — thanks to a missed two-foot putt — to get in at 70.
His putter wasn’t quite as hot as it was Thursday — he was top-10 in the field in strokes gained in Round 1 — but he had just two bogeys all round and took 26 total putts, quite a bit better than field average.
That he managed a 1-under round despite this speaks to just how sound Rahm is playing right now, and he’s squarely in the hunt entering Moving Day.
He’s been top 10 on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained putting, but Friday marked the second consecutive round at Torrey that he’s lost strokes to the field with the putter.
Open winner, didn’t have his best stuff in Round 1 but found some of his better form Friday with a 2-under 69 to get to even on the tournament.
When he’s able to do that and couple it with his skill as a ball-striker, it makes a ton of sense why he was able to climb back into this — and why he’s a contender entering the weekend.
It was once again a full-send from him off the tees Friday that paid dividends for him, but he had too many misjudged putts — be it because pace or slope — that really ate into any chance he had to move up the leaderboard.
11 and tried playing through, but had four bogeys over his next five holes.
If he wins this week, he will be the first player to finish top-2 in his first 2 U.S.
Open starts since Harry Vardon.Vardon won in 1900, didn’t come back and play again until 1913 and finished T-2.
If he wins this week, he will be the first player to finish top-2 in his first 2 career U.S.
11 falls to 3 over on the tournament, which is just narrowly on the right side of the projected cut line for now.
Nice little par for Xander Schauffele on the challenging 11th to remain at 3 under and two strokes off the lead.
Collin Morikawa — 4 under on the round and even par for the tournament — has hit all eight of his fairways today and is gaining 1.59 strokes off the tee thus far today.