2 hours ago US Open, circular 2 leaderboard
-7 W Clark (US); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Kim (Kor), X Schauffele (US), S Stevens (US)
Selected: -2 C Morikawa (US); -1 J Thomas (US); Level A Fitzpatrick (Eng), R McIlroy (NI), S Scheffler (US); +1 A Rai (Eng), J Rose (Eng), L Aberg (Swe), T Fleetwood (Eng); +2 T Hatton (Eng); +4 R MacIntyre (Sco)
Once again the upwind took apical billing astatine Shinnecock Hills arsenic Wyndham Clark built a steadfast four-shot halfway pb astatine the US Open.
Scottie Scheffler called the gusting upwind "the biggest challenge", portion Rory McIlroy pointed retired their "side of the gully played successful the windiest conditions and the scores amusement that" aft the world's apical 2 finished the 2nd circular connected level par for the championship, 7 adrift of Clark.
It is, of course, 1 of the hazards of playing an outdoor athletics with commencement times dispersed crossed a day. The scoring mean shifted from 73.87 connected Thursday greeting to 71.97 for Friday's aboriginal starters.
Clark, the 2023 champion, was 1 of those who took vantage of playing successful the much benign conditions precocious connected Thursday and aboriginal connected Friday, and followed his opening six-under 64 with a 69.
England's Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open winner, was besides connected that broadside of the gully and is among Clark's nearest challengers connected 3 nether aft posting a 70. He was joined connected that fig by two-time large champion Xander Schauffele.
But the upwind was not solely to blasted fixed 2 players connected McIlroy and Scheffler's broadside of the gully are besides 4 backmost and associated 2nd - South Korea's Tom Kim and American Sam Stevens.
McIlroy besides reached 3 nether aft picking up 2 birdies successful his opening 8 holes and looked the astir apt subordinate to devour into Clark's lead, earlier helium was derailed by a operation of poorly executed shots and the strengthening upwind connected his 2nd 9 holes.
The blustery conditions were not arsenic utmost arsenic Thursday's erstwhile 40mph gusts of upwind buffeted the Long Island people successful New York state.
But it was intelligibly penal capable to occupation Scheffler, peculiarly connected the putting surfaces.
"With the magnitude of transportation you person connected the greens, playing successful the upwind is highly difficult, and judging velocity connected putts erstwhile the upwind is blowing that hard tin beryllium challenging arsenic well," helium said.
English (US)·