Ludvig Aberg leads after two rounds of the US Open; Tiger Woods misses cut

Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg is alone atop the leaderboard in his U.S. Open debut after shooting 1-under in the second round Friday at Pinehurst, to bring him to 5-under for the tournament.

Americans Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Cantlay and Belgian golfer Thomas Detry are each one stroke off the lead at 4-under.  

Tiger Woods, on the other hand, didn’t make his 18th career U.S. Open cut. Woods, a three-time champion at the U.S. Open, finished 7-over on the tournament after shooting four bogeys on Friday.

He’s not the only big name to miss the cut, projected at 5-over for the tournament. Viktor Hovland (+6), Max Homa (+6), Rickie Fowler (+8), Dustin Johnson (+9) and Phil Mickelson (+15) will not see the weekend. 

How Day 2 went:

2024 US Open leaderboard

Check out the full leaderboard here

Ludvig Åberg co-leader in first U.S. Open

Ludvig Åberg’s first U.S. Open is off to an amazing start. The Swedish golfer ended the second round atop the leaderboard, tied with Matthieu Pavon for first place. Åberg shot 1-under for the day, hitting two birdies and two bogeys on Friday, to bring him to 5-under for the tournament. Åberg made his major championship debut earlier this year at the 2024 Masters and finished second to Scottie Scheffler. Now, Åberg is in prime position to win his first major tournament. 

Aced it! Francesco Molinari hits Hail Mary to possibly make cut 

Italian Francesco Molinari has a chance to make the cut at the 2024 U.S. Open following a hole-in-one on No. 9 (194 yards, par-3). Molinari was three strokes over the projected cutline heading into the 9th hole, his last of the day. That’s when he aced it and the eagle moved him to 5-over on the tournament to possibly make it into the weekend. The projected cutline has fluctuated between 4-over and 5-over. 

It marked the second hole-in-one on hole No. 9 on Friday. Sepp Straka aced the same hole earlier in the day. 

Who will miss the cut?

The cut line at the 2024 U.S. Open is projected at 4-over. Tiger Woods is in danger of missing the weekend, sitting at 7-over on the tournament with only one more hole left in the second round on Friday. The cut line may drop to 5-over, giving world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (5-over) a chance to sneak through. 

Big names, including Viktor Hovland (6-over), Mox Homa (6-over), Sungjae Im (7-over) and Phil Mickelson (13-over), are expected to miss the cut. 

Leader Ludvig Aberg opens two-stroke lead 

Ludvig Aberg is extending his lead. He shot a birdie on No. 12 (475 yards, par 4) to go to 2-under for the day and 6-under for the tournament. It marked his third birdie of the day. He has opened up a two-stroke lead.

Tony Finau tied for second after birdie

Tony Finau is moving up the leaderboard. He joined Bryson DeChambeau in second place at 4-under for the tournament following a birdie on hole No. 12 (475 yards, par 4). Finau converted a long putt up a slope for his second birdie in three previous holes. He has shot three birdies and one bogey on Friday so far. Finau is vying for his first major title. His best finish at the U.S. Open was fifth place in 2018.

Tiger Woods picks up another bogey

Tiger Woods is now 2 strokes over the projected cut line after getting a bogey on hole No. 12 (475 yards, par-4). It marks Woods' third bogey of the second round so far. He drops to 2-over on the day and 6-over for the tournament. 

Patrick Cantlay tied for first place 

American Patrick Cantlay is back atop the leaderboard after getting a birdie on hole No. 11 (490-yards, par-4). It marked Cantlay’s second birdie of the day. He rebounded nicely from a double bogey on hole No. 8 and is tied with Ludvig Aberg for first place. Cantlay is in pursuit of his first major title. 

Tiger Woods flirting with the cut

Tiger Woods missed a birdie opportunity on hole No. 10 and saved par on hole No. 11 to remain at 5-over for the tournament and 1-over for the day, following two bogeys and one birdie on Friday. The cut line is projected at 4-over. The 15-time major winner previously missed the cut at the 2024 PGA Championship last month after making the cut for a record 24th consecutive time at the 2024 Masters in April. Woods is a three-time champion at the U.S. Open (2002, 2005, 2006).

Cantlay drops back

He double bogeys the eighth hole and is now at -4.

Cantlay, Pavon, Aberg tied for lead

Patrick Cantlay, Matthieu Pavon and Ludvig Aberg are deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard with an overall score of 5-under as they continue through Round 2. Although Cantlay led the trio with a first-round score of 5-under, stronger Friday performances from Pavon and Aberg have tied the race for the top spot. Cantlay has started Round 2 with an unremarkable quartet of pars, whereas Aberg has one birdie and Pavon has two birdies to catch up.

Bryson DeChambeau finishes at 4-under, tied for third

Bryson DeChambeau did not have as strong a second round outing as his 3-under performance Thursday. Still, weaker Round 2 results from other top contenders moved the American up to tied for third place. DeChambeau shot 1-under, hitting four bogies and five birdies along the course Friday.

Rory McIlroy wraps up second round at 3-under overall

Rory McIlroy let his lead slip after hitting 2-over in the second round Friday. The Round 1 leader started the day off shakily, shooting two bogies on the 11th and 15th holes. He recovered to maintain pars and hit a birdie on No. 3, but lost his touch again on No. 9, shooting his third bogey of the day. McIlroy now has an overall score of 3-under after a strong 5-under performance in the first round Thursday. He currently sits in fifth place as other competitors continue on the course.

Thomas Detry surges to top of leaderboard

Thomas Detry has five birdies through 12 holes in Friday's second and is tied for the lead at 5-under with Patrick Cantlay who tees off at 1:25 p.m.

After shooting 2-over in Thursday's first round, Hideki Matsuyama is 4-under on the day through 14 holes and up to seventh place at 2-under overall.

Four players tied for second at noon

Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Thomas Detry and Ludvig Aberg are all 4-under overall, good for second place behind Patrick Cantlay (5-under), who tees off at 1:25 p.m.

McIlroy, who was tied for the lead entering the day, is 1-over on the day with two bogeys.

Bryson DeChambeau sinks long birdie, gets back to 3-under

After going 3-under in the first round, Bryson DeChambeau is even through 12 on Friday. He sunk a long birdie put on the 12th hole, his third birdie of the day – to go with three bogeys. He's tied for fourth at 3-under overall.

Tyrell Hatton, Thomas Detry on a birdie run

Tyrell Hatton moves to -3 under after two birdies in the last three holes to move into a four-way tie for third place. Thomas Detry birdies No. 11, 12 and 13 to move within one shot of the current leader Patrick Cantlay.

Scottie Scheffler frustrated

Both Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 ranked player in the world, and Rory McIlroy bogey No. 15 after their tee shots roll off the green. Scheffler misses his par putt and throws his golf club in frustration. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele settles down with back-to-back birdies on No. 13 and 14 to sit at even par.

Patrick Cantlay tied for US Open lead entering Friday

“With the weather cooperating, it being warm, I imagine they can get the golf course as difficult as they want,” Patrick Cantlay said after shooting a 5-under in the first round. 

“With the Bermuda greens and no rain in the forecast, I expect the golf course to play very difficult in the next few days.”

– Adam Schupak, Golfweek

PGA champion Xander Schauffele scrambling

PGA champion Xander Schauffele is off to a rocky start, opening with back-to-back bogeys in his first two holes. He bogeyed No. 10 and No. 11 before parring No. 12 to sit at +2 over. He bounces back with a birdie on No. 13.

DeChambeau, McIlroy bogey

The greens are proving to be tough this morning. Both Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy bogey their second hole of the day.  McIlroy misses a nine-foot putt for par, pushing it long.

Two big groups underway this morning

Round two of the US Open is off and running with two big groups underway. Bryson DeChambeau, tied for 4th, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa tees off at No. 1. And over at No. 10, it's co-leader Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler. McIlroy has a chance to birdie No. 10 for sole lead of the US Open, but misses a 12 foot putt. Opportunity wasted. He pars his first hole.

Sergio Garcia’s US Open off to strong start

When Sergio Garcia got a call from USGA officials on Monday, informing him that he’d been pushed into the field after finding his way onto the alternate list, the 2024 U.S. Open took on a very different feel, one in which Garcia was simply elated to be in the field, rather than thinking about his chances to secure a second major.After he opened play at Pinehurst No. 2 on Thursday with a first-round 69, the fiery Spaniard’s expectations have taken a markedly different outlook.

“Obviously to shoot under par in a U.S. Open, which is a championship that I love, it’s always great,” Garcia said. “To go bogey-free is even greater. It’s something that I give a lot of respect to, and I’m very proud of. I’ve had the pleasure of playing this championship 25 years in a row, so not a lot of people get to do that.”

– Tim Schmitt, Golfweek

US Open: Tony Finau in the hunt for first major win

Tony Finau’s name has moved up on the list of best players without a major championship.

Following Xander Schauffele’s victory last month at the PGA Championship, Finau is among the top-end players attempting to break through in similar fashion this week at Pinehurst No. 2 in the 2024 U.S. Open.

With a 2-under-par 68 in Thursday’s opening round, the six-time PGA Tour winner can contend in Pinehurst. Finau is three shots back of leader Patrick Cantlay, another player chasing that first major title.

“Getting off to a good start in any major championship is important,” said Finau, who has 10 top-10 finishes in major championships.

– Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer

US Open tee times Friday second round

First hole start

10th hole start

2024 US Open purse

The U.S. Open had the largest purse of the four men’s major championships in 2023, and that amount is going up in 2024.

Mike Whan, the CEO of the United States Golf Association, announced Wednesday the purse for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 was going up to $21.5 million, a $1.5 million increase from last year. In addition, the winner will take home $4.3 million, up from $4 million in 2023.

The winner of the first U.S. Open in 1895 took home $150.

In addition, every player will make at least $10,000, as players who miss the cut will pocket that amount.

At the Masters, the purse was $20 million with $3.6 going to the winner, Scottie Scheffler. The PGA Championship had a record purse of $18.5 million, with Xander Schauffele taking home $3.33 million.

– Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek

How many golf courses are at Pinehurst?

There are 11 golf courses at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, including the historic No. 2 course, site of the 2024 U.S. Open.

While No. 2 is the headliner, golfers around the world visit the Sandhills of North Carolina to experience a crowd of different layouts in Moore County.

Known as “The Cradle of American Golf,” Pinehurst is hosting the United States Golf Association’s 1,000th championship this week. The No. 2 course has hosted four men’s U.S. Open tournaments in the last 25 years.

– Rodd Baxley, Fayetteville Observer

Rory McIlroy's US Open off to great start

Rory McIlroy harnessed the power of positive thinking to get a flawless start to his latest U.S. Open campaign on Thursday, carding a five-under par 65 at Pinehurst as he hopes to finally break his decade-long drought at the majors.

"I guess I've had some success by the sort of mindset that I've brought in, especially last year at LACC," McIlroy told reporters. "The golf course is a little different to what it was last year, but still the same strategy, same mindset."

"I really feel like that's the thing that has served me well in these U.S. Opens over the past few years," said McIlroy, who won his last major at the 2014 PGA Championship.

– Reuters

Contributing: Golfweek, Reuters