As expected, Oakmont Country Club is not in a giving mood. After two grueling rounds at the 125th U.S. Open, only three players remain under par at the halfway point — a testament to the punishing challenge laid down by one of golf’s most feared venues. With rain and lightning suspending play late Friday evening, just 13 players have yet to finish their second rounds, but the leaderboard has already taken shape amid the chaos.
Sam Burns leads the charge after a superb second-round 65, vaulting him to 3-under-par — the lowest score in the field by two strokes. His near-flawless performance was one of the finest rounds of the championship so far, featuring precise ball-striking, sharp putting, and most importantly, very few mistakes.
“I just stayed patient,” said Burns. “You have to respect every shot at Oakmont. You don’t win here by getting cute.”
Burns enters the weekend with a one-shot lead over J.J. Spaun, who opened with a bogey-free 66 on Thursday — just the second such round in U.S. Open history at Oakmont — but slipped back with a 2-over 72 in Friday’s more difficult conditions. Spaun, playing in his first U.S. Open, handled the pressure admirably but found Oakmont less forgiving in Round 2.
Joining them under par is Viktor Hovland, who posted a 2-under 68 on Friday to reach 1-under for the championship. Hovland, whose consistency and control off the tee have been vital, avoided the big numbers that have haunted most of the field.
But as the leaderboard shakes out, the real story may be the names who won’t be around for the weekend — most notably defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, who stumbled to rounds of 73 and 77 to finish 10-over and well outside the projected cut line of 7-over.
DeChambeau wasn’t alone in his struggles. With Oakmont’s greens rolling at glass-like speeds and the rough devouring errant tee shots, even the game’s best have found themselves scrambling.
Phil Mickelson’s U.S. Open saga may have come to a bittersweet end. The six-time runner-up, playing on a special exemption from his 2021 PGA Championship win, appeared to be inside the cut line until back-to-back doubles on 15 and 17. Needing birdie on 18, his 14-foot putt raced by, sealing a possible final farewell to the only major that has eluded him.
“I gave it everything I had,” Mickelson said afterward. “I just couldn’t keep it together coming in. That’s Oakmont for you.”
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler (4 over) and Rory McIlroy (6 over) both survived the cut but will need something miraculous over the weekend to claw back into contention. Still, compared to the bloodbath unfolding across the field, their survival is a small victory in itself.
As storms rolled in Friday night, play was suspended at 8:15 p.m. ET with 13 players still on the course. The USGA confirmed that the cut line will fall at 7 over, giving a handful of players a glimmer of hope heading into Saturday.
With only three players in red numbers and the weather threatening more disruption, the weekend at Oakmont promises to be a war of attrition — one that may crown a new U.S. Open champion not by brilliance alone, but by endurance, patience, and grit. The game’s toughest test is only halfway through — and it’s already living up to its brutal reputation.
