Cruellest cut as stars
Erin Hills alive with the sound of aces leaving the car park after a slew of top players miss the cut.
An 11-year-old golf course shaped from Wisconsin pastureland was sure to bring something different to the US Open at Erin Hills.
This might have been more than anyone was expecting.
The four players tied for the lead — Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka, Brian Harman and Tommy Fleetwood — created the largest 36-hole logjam in 43 years at the tournament. None has won a major, and neither have the next 14 players behind them.
On the longest course for a major, the cut was the lowest at the tournament since 1990.
And for all the birdies and blunders at Erin Hills, the most compelling image yesterday came from the car park, where one star after another left town after missing the cut.
Dustin Johnson. Rory McIlroy. Jason Day.
It was the first time since the world ranking began in 1986 that the top three players missed the cut in any major.
Henrik Stenson. Alex Noren. Jon Rahm. Justin Rose. Adam Scott.
Eight of the top 12 players in the world won’t be around for the last two rounds at Erin Hills, leaving a tournament as open as the land on which it was built.
Casey chopped his way to a triple bogey, only to respond with five straight birdies that carried him to a 1-under 71 and make him the first to post at 7-under 137. He set the target early under warm sunshine, and even as the wind tapered in the afternoon, no one could catch him.
Koepka had the lead until he turned a birdie chance into a bogey on the par-5 first hole after making the turn. He didn’t make a birdie the rest of the way and had to settle for a 70. They were joined by Harman and Fleetwood, who each had a 70.
Right behind was a trio of players that included Rickie Fowler, who went 28 holes before making his first bogey and then went three holes without making a par. Fowler shot a 73 and was still very much in the hunt at a second straight major.
The four-way tie was the most after two rounds in a US Open since Winged Foot in 1974, back when the names were more familiar for a major — Raymond Floyd, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Hale Irwin, who went on to win his first major.
The last six majors have been won by first-timers, and that cycle has a good chance to continue. The top 18 players on the leaderboard going into the weekend have combined for zero majors. Only a half-dozen of them have even experienced Sunday contention in golf’s biggest events.
Johnson was hitting it so well, he appeared to be safe even when he was on the cut line. But then he threeputted from long range on the 13th and 14th, and lost all hope when he missed the green on the 17th while going after the flag. He shot 73 and missed the cut by three.
Johnson said: “I couldn’t possibly shoot any higher than I did. I just struggled on the greens. It’s simple.”
Day never had a chance, following his career-worst 79 in a US Open with a 75. McIlroy came to life when it was far too late. He made four birdies over the last six holes to salvage a 71, but he still missed the cut for the second straight year.
Fowler has the best chance, even though he lost so much ground over the final two hours. He went from pouring putts into the centre of the cup to burning the edges, and his 39 on the back nine cost him the lead, although not his chances of breaking through for that first major.