BROOKLINE, Mass. — At the halfway point of this year’s U.S. Open, what more could you ask for?
Sure, we’re missing Tiger. But we’ve got lions (Rory McIlroy, T3) and we’ve got bears (Jon Rahm, T3) and we’ve got oh my (Joel Dahmen, T1).
The top three golfers in the world are all within two shots of the lead. That’s because Jon Rahm, World No. 2 and the defending champion, played the two par-5s in three under par and the other 16 holes in even par and looks in control of every piece of his game.
“It was kind of about as enjoyable as a U.S. Open walk can be, really,” Rahm said.
It’s because World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was two over par through six but then found everything all at once. Like Rahm, he birdied 8 and like Rahm, he eagled No. 14, and like Rahm he shot 67, and like Rahm he came off the course high on confidence.
“I knew I was swinging at it well. I hit it really good yesterday, I hit it really good today,” he said.
It’s because World No. 3 Rory McIlroy made the best double bogey of his entire career at the par-4 third. Then he birdied 5, and he birdied 8, and 12 and 14 and 17, too.