Reed holds slim lead at Open
Patrick Reed plays a shot from a bunker Friday in the second round of the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Reed had a onestroke lead after shooting an evenpar 70. See full story,
MAMARONECK, N.Y. — Every shot required full attention. Every hole was a test. Every par was valued.
Patrick Reed embraced every aspect Friday when the U.S. Open lived up to its reputation as the toughest test in golf, and so did Winged Foot.
“I love the grind,” Reed said, barely able to contain a grin.
From the bunker, he twice saved par. From ankledeep rough behind the green to back pins, he walked off with two more pars. Throw in five birdies to offset mistakes, and Reed had an evenpar 70 that gave him a oneshot lead going into the third round of a U.S. Open that feels as though it’s just getting started.
“It’s almost like they set it up to ease our way into it, and then showed us what it’s supposed to really be like,” Reed said.
Bryson DeChambeau, the former U.S. Amateur champion and current muscleman, powered and putted his way to a 68, the lowest score on a day Winged Foot played to an average score of 75.25.
After an opening round in which 21 players broke par, Winged Foot on Friday allowed only three players under par. Nine others shot even. Everyone else was hanging on for dear life.
Reed was at 4under 136, and only five other players remained in red numbers. DeChambeau is the only player under par in both rounds, the easier one and the brutal one.
“If I had to look back on it,” he said, “I would say that this today is a more enjoyable test after I’m done because it shows who executed the shots the best.”
Rafa CabreraBello of Spain and Harris English each had a 70 and were at 2under 138.
They were joined by Justin Thomas, who opened with a 65 — the lowest ever at Winged Foot for a U.S. Open — and lost all those shots to par after 10 holes. Thomas then delivered a 5wood from 228 yards into the wind on the par3 third hole and made a slick, 15foot, doublebreaking birdie putt to steady himself. He scratched out a 73.
Jason Kokrak (71) was the only other player under par at 1under 139.
“I’m not going to worry about what everyone else is doing because you could shoot 80 just as easily as you could shoot 68,” said Thomas. “I just need to stay focused, and most importantly, go home and get some rest.”
With 36 holes to go, there’s no indication Winged Foot is going to get easier.
“The greens are only going to get firmer, and the scores are only going to get higher,” Matthew Wolff said after salvaging a 74 that left him four shots behind.
Tiger Woods won’t be around to experience it. He had a pair of double bogeys at the end of the back nine, and two birdies over his last three holes gave him a 77. He missed the cut by four shots, the eighth time in his past 15 majors he won’t be around for the weekend.
“It feels like the way the golf course is changing, is turning, that anybody who makes the cut has the opportunity to win this championship,” Woods said. “I didn’t get myself that opportunity.”
Neither did Phil Mickelson, who had his highest 36hole score in 29 appearances in the one major he hasn’t won. Ditto for Jordan Spieth, whose 81 was his highest score in a major. PGA champion Collin Morikawa missed an 8foot birdie putt on the final hole that cost him a chance to keep playing.