A&M’s Champ plays like it
ERIN, Wis. — Cameron Champ is one of the longest hitters at the U.S. Open. He keeps to himself while he plays. There is a quiet confidence about him as he makes his way around Erin Hills.
Nothing amateur about his game. He looks right at home in one of golf’s biggest tournaments.
Champ, 22, blasted his way to a 3-under 69 in the second round Friday, drawing attention for his long drives and steady putting the longer he lurks near the top of the leader board. After an opening 70, he’s at 5-under 139, just two shots off the pace.
“I came in this week with no expectations really at all,” he said. “The only expectation I had was to be low Am. I played well. The course sets up very well for me off the tee. If you hit it off the tee, you can score.”
Champ was humming along at even par in the second round when the Texas A&M senior closed with a flourish, recording four birdies and one bogey over his final seven holes.
Overall, Champ has hit 21 of 28 fairways and leads the field with a driving average of 339.2 yards.
“In college, I normally am the longest,” he said. “I don’t talk about it much. You’ve still got to make a score. Here if you can hit it long and straight, it’s a great advantage. I took advantage of it the last few days.”
After Champ, the next amateur is Scottie Scheffler at 1-under 143. Scheffler plays for the University of Texas, but don’t expect any trouble as the rivals vie for low amateur honor this weekend.
“Me and Scottie are really good friends, so it will be kind of fun,” Champ said.
Walker Lee — another amateur with Texas ties — missed the cut after shooting 81-83. The Houstonian will be a freshman at Texas A&M in the fall.
A weekend off easy as Nos. 1, 2, 3
Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day made the wrong kind of history at the U.S. Open. They’re all leaving early. For the first time since the world rankings began in 1986, Nos. 1, 2 and 3 all missed the cut in a major. Johnson capped off this collective failure with a late collapse on the back nine at Erin Hills, making three bogeys over a fivehole stretch and closing with a 73 to go with an opening 75 for a 36-hole 4-over total of 148.
Day and McIlroy never had much of a chance either, both out of the picture before Johnson even teed off.
And they had even more company.
Eight of the top 12 in the world will not be around for the weekend at this most unusual U.S. Open, where the top 60 and ties advanced to the final two rounds. The cut was at 1-over 145, tying a U.S. Open record set in 1990 at Medinah.
Joining them were British Open champion Henrik Stenson (No. 6), Alex Noren (No. 8), Jon Rahm (No. 10), Justin Rose (No. 11) and Adam Scott (No. 12).
Day at least found one positive spin.
“Guess what,” he said to his 4-year-old son. “We get to go home today because Daddy played poorly.”
Day shot a 75 for a two-day total 154, ending at 17 the longest active streak of making the cut in the majors. The last time Day missed a cut in a major was the 2012 PGA Championship, just a month after his son was born.
No cut issues for Oklahoma St.
Jordan Niebrugge, Talor Gooch and Kevin Dougherty, who each played at Oklahoma State, were grouped together in the first two rounds. The trio made the cut. Ride ’em Cowboys! “We had a lot of fun out there,” Niebrugge said. “Definitely had some mojo out there.”
That’s not even counting first-round leader Rickie Fowler, who’s a shot off the 36-hole pace.
Elderly spectator dies on Friday
A 94-year-old man died during the second round of the U.S. Open. Authorities say the death appears to be of natural causes.
Rescue personnel and sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the grandstand by the sixth green Friday after the man was reported to be without a pulse.
Back issues sideline Willett
Back problems forced Danny Willett to withdraw before his tee time in the second round. The 2016 Masters champ shot a 9-over 81 in the first round.
The 29-year-old Willett has had recurring back issues during his career.
“Well another disappointing week comes to an end,” Willett posted on Twitter . “Working hard to get back but the body and swing not allowing it.”