Bryson DeChambeau made his move on Friday
Bryson DeChambeau made his move on Friday

US Open report: Patrick Reed leads Bryson DeChambeau at Winged Foot


Patrick Reed birdied his final hole to move ahead of compatriot and fellow pantomime villain Bryson DeChambeau after two rounds of the US Open.


Leaderboard

-4 Reed

-3 DeChambeau

-2 Cabrera Bello, English, Thomas

-1 Kokrak

E Matsuyama, Schauffele, Todd, Pieters, Wolff


DeChambeau set a testing clubhouse target on day two of the 120th edition of the tournament as Winged Foot belatedly began to justify its fearsome reputation, but Reed managed to creep past it.

A total of 21 players broke par in the first round in sharp contrast to the last time the course hosted the championship in 2006, when Colin Montgomerie’s opening 69 was the only sub-par score.

DeChambeau had carded a 69 on Thursday and defied tougher, breezy conditions to go one better in round two, completing a 68 in brilliant style with an eagle from six feet on the ninth, his closing hole.

That would prove to be one of just three under-par rounds on Friday and looked set to earn him the lead, only for a dogged, level-par 70 from Reed to give the Masters champion the edge as he made four at that downwind ninth hole.

"I felt like a lot of things were working well for me," said a delighted DeChambeau, who produced his best major finish to date in last month's PGA Championship. "I was driving it well. My iron play was impeccable.

"When I got into trouble, wasn't able to get out of it as well today as yesterday, but when I was in the fairway I was able to attack and take advantage, and finished really well today.

"I hit a great drive on 6, great drive on 8, great shot on 7, and a great drive on 9 that just set me up to be able to attack that flag today, and that was a fun way to finish off at a US Open. It's great."

Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello was a shot further back of DeChambeau having ridden a hot putter and finished well before he was joined by Harris English, one of the unsung stars of the season whose level-par 70 was as straightforward as Reed's was gritty.

Justin Thomas fought hard during a difficult day, his driving accuracy stats plummeting as he went round in 73 to sit in that group at two-under, two back of the lead.

Lee Westwood's bid for a first major title at the 83rd attempt suffered a damaging blow however as he followed an opening 67 with a 76, while Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth were among the big names to miss the cut.

Rory McIlroy was nine shots worse than his first round as he fell seven back of Reed's lead but Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele are among those in contention on level.

Westwood bogeyed the first, second and sixth before stopping the rot with a birdie on the par-five ninth, which played as the easiest hole on the course on day one.

The 47-year-old began the back nine with a run of six straight pars, but then double bogeyed the 16th and dropped further shots on the last two holes.

“It’s obviously windier, greens a tiny bit firmer, pin positions a little bit tougher,” Westwood said. “I didn’t quite play so well. Got off to an iffy start, bogeyed the first two holes, but the first three holes were playing tough.

“But just a disappointing finish, dropping four shots the last three holes. I was one under for the tournament with three to play and they’re all playing downwind.

“So a bit disappointed to finish like that, but I’m three over par, here for the weekend, and you never know what’s going to happen in US Opens, do you?

“I know I’m capable of going out there and shooting three under if I play well and that will get me back to level for the final day. I’m sure it wouldn’t be far off even par winning this tournament.”

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who was in the second group out at 7.01am local time, had earlier made a flying start to briefly move into the outright lead.

The former Ryder Cup star, who won a record four points on his debut at Hazeltine in 2016, birdied the first and fifth to improve to six under par, only to cover the back nine in 41 to return a 74 and finish level par.

“I think I only hit one fairway on the back nine and it’s definitely twice as tough as yesterday with the wind,” Pieters said. “I got myself out of position on every hole on the back nine but I’m not unhappy.”

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