2016 US Open: Dustin Johnson leads as Jason Day makes a slow start
Some of the best golfers in the world never to win a major have put themselves in with a shot of winning the 2016 US Open.
Dustin Johnson is simply superb on the Thursday and Friday of a major golf championship. And once again, Johnson produced a superbly display of tee to green golf to card just the one bogey across 36-holes on Friday to find himself in a share of the lead.
Johnson has been the best golfer in the world if you just consider the first two rounds of the last eight majors, and golf fans are wondering if he can finally bring that sort of form to Oakmont for the weekend.
If he brings anything remotely like his play from tee to green from Friday to the weekend, he’ll be in with a shot at yet another major victory. Johnson’s play off the tee was very good, but it was his approach shots (admittedly 50 yards closer to the green than everyone else) that was most impressive.
Not surprising when he leads the PGA Tour for proximity to the hole when playing shots from 50 – 150 yards from the green.
Dustin Johnson played 36 holes today with only one bogey, earning him the @Lexus Top Performance of the Day.https://t.co/rYJeZJlhfC
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2016
A disjointed US Open, marred by rains on Thursday will see half of the field begin their second rounds on Saturday morning including Marc Leishman and overnight leader, Andrew Landry who sits in a share of the lead with Johnson.
Adam Scott and Jason Day were two golfers who had the better of the conditions so far and played 36-holes on Friday.
Day got off to a poor start early on Friday carding three bogeys and a double-bogey in his opening 11 holes. The world number one looked to change his strategy from then on. Playing more aggressively Day started to find the greens in regulation a little more often and began to make some birdies. His first coming at the 14th hole.
After 14 holes, World No. 1 Jason Day has his first birdie of the #USOpen. https://t.co/J95OiP0uPE
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2016
A bogey at the par-3 6th hole after failing to get up-and-down out of a bunker stalled his good run as the horn sounded to call an end to the day. Day will resume early tomorrow to complete the final three holes of his second round at 5-over par.
Playing in the same group as Day was Adam Scott and is striking the ball better than ever.
Scott sounded incredibly confident leading into the tournament and it was easy to see why. Scott missed just three greens in regulation (out of 15) in his second round and finds himself well placed for a shot at a US Open title.
The leaderboard reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the best golfers never to win a major with Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood also sitting inside the top-10.
As the tough Oakmont golf course begins to dry out, the greens are going to get much quicker than they were today and players looking to get inside the cut line (most likely around 6-over) will face a stern test tomorrow morning.
