Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and current Masters champion, shot a second-round 74 at the U.S. Open Friday. Sitting at 5-over-par, Scheffler is currently outside the cut line and in danger of missing the weekend at Pinehurst.
If Scheffler misses the cut, it would be the first time he hasn’t made the weekend at a major championship since the 2022 PGA Championship. Per Justin Ray, Friday’s second round is the first time Scheffler had a birdie-free round as a pro at a major. Scheffler had two bogeys and one double bogey on his card during the second round. He also lost 3.3 strokes on the greens and is ranked 91st in the field in strokes gained: putting.
Scheffler entered the U.S. Open as the betting favorite to win the tournament, per BetMGM. He is a five-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2024, including last week at the Memorial Tournament.
In contention entering the weekend from the morning wave is Rory McIlroy, who shot a 2-over 72. After a bogey-free 65 Thursday, McIlroy had two bogeys on his front nine to go out with a 2-over 37. Coming in, McIlroy shot an even 35, his lone birdie of the second round happening at the par-4 3rd hole. McIlroy bogeyed his last hole at the par-3 9th, dropping him to 3-under-par for the tournament.
Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion, fired a second-round 69. He finished his round by striping his second shot to 15 inches from the pin, resulting in a birdie. DeChambeau has two top-10 finishes at the majors this year, including a runner-up at the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship last month, shot a second-round 69. After opening the second round with two straight bogeys, Schauffele recorded five birdies in his next 10 holes. A double bogey on the par-5 5th brought Schauffele back to 1-under-par for the tournament, his position entering the weekend.
Thomas Detry, who finished T4 at last month’s PGA Championship, is 5 under through his first 14 holes and currently in the solo lead.
Patrick Cantlay, who tees off at 1:25 p.m. ET, had the co-18 hole lead after shooting a 5-under 65 Thursday.
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What went wrong with Scottie Scheffler
Over and over again this season Scheffler’s poise has been the foundation of his success. When others get rattled, he stays calm. When they get too aggressive, he keeps the golf course in front of him. Find the fairway. Find the green. Make the putt. What, like golf is hard?
Scheffler just did not have that temperament on Friday — the sun was barely over the pines and he was loudly yelling at himself. He flipped his mallet putter into the air after a missed par putt, his first bogey of the day. And all of it just snowballed on him — Pinehurst No. 2 does not let up, and playing with the Nos. 2 and 3 players in the world, both of whom were doing a far better job of managing their rounds, seemed to compound things for Scheffler. No. 5 was the hole he’ll regret if he does miss the cut — like McIlroy, Scheffler’s second shot from the fairway found the green and rolled off into the sand/wiregrass. But Scheffler’s first attempt out of it did not get back up onto the green and rolled to caddie Ted Scott’s feet.
His fourth shot was a much more aggressive wedge play and he promptly rolled off the other side of the green. He walked off the green moments later with a double bogey. As a result, Scheffler will have to sweat out Friday afternoon to see if he misses his first cut since the 2022 St. Jude Invitational, 672 days ago. — Hugh Kellenberger, golf managing editor
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(Photo: David Cannon / Getty Images)
