Four Tied For Lead at US Open

"Those were tough shots", Fleetwood said.

The U.S. Open was only his sixth start this year.

Another U.S. Open first for Xander Schauffele.

The trio's struggles were all the more surprising given that low scores were there to be had for all. Vijay Singh was the last player to accomplish the feat in 2003 at Olympia Fields.

But the Englishman now has a share of the lead at the U.S. Open. Thomas' 9-under 63 was one better than Johnny Miller's 63 in the 1973 final round at Oakmont.

The bogey save on 18 certainly changed his day.

Bubba Watson, using a pink golf ball one day and lime green the next, shot 75-73 and appeared certain to miss the cut. He punched the third back into the fairway but needed two more to get on the green and two to get down for his second seven.

Rain-softened conditions at Erin Hills made greens more receptive and a lack of brisk winds left the course virtually defenceless.

Rickie Fowler opened with a 7-under 65.

Tommy Fleetwood will try to block out thoughts of the "life-changing" effect of becoming the second English victor in five years in Sunday's final round of the US Open.

Charley Hoffman is all by himself on top of the U.S. Open - for now.

Then he exited stage left, stopped to sign a couple golf balls for the patrolmen who followed him for the second round, and checked his cell phone as he walked up the hill and toward the locker room for the last time this week.

A rattled Casey immediately added another bogey to extend his miserable run before hitting the turbo-charger and firing off five consecutive birdies. His best finish was a tie for 37th past year at Oakmont.

Rory McIlroy is trying to make a run as he closes out his second round at the U.S Open.

Stricker was rolling down the back end of the back nine, with three birdies between the 14th and 17th holes.

A whopping eight players are at 6 under, including world No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama and Louis Oosthuizen. And he's giving the fans something to cheer. He shot a 69 and was at 2-under 214.

Jason Day was walking away from Erin Hills with his wife and son when he managed to find one positive about this U.S. Open. He was unflappable. Halfway home at Erin Hills, Brooks Koepka is taking on a similar look. He just has to listen to the crowd.

While that might be a par 7 for mere mortals, Ernie Els pointed out that he'd played a practice round with an amateur who was pounding drives 340 yards. It took a hard turn to the right and rolled in.

Scheffler is three shots back of the lead on a jam-packed leaderboard.

Sure, he birdied four of his last six holes to salvage a 71 and finish at 5-over 149. Champ tees off later Saturday.

Four years after Justin Rose ended a 43-year wait for an English victor, Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood headed into the third round of the US Open at Erin Hills in a four-way tie for the lead. He said he'll play a lot and work on his putting in advance of the British Open at Royal Birkdale next month.

No need to go through qualifying for Shinnecock Hills, after having to travel that route to arrive at Erin Hills.

No one took advantage like Fowler.

NOTE: On Friday morning, Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters champion, withdrew because of a back injury.

From that near meltdown, he hit the next wedge to 3 feet and made the putt to save a 6. "I guess it's rare you get through a U.S. Open or any major without some kind of a hiccup".

Still to be determined was who made it to the weekend, and where the cut would fall. He shot 68 and was only three back.

Jordan Spieth is not among them.

Clouds are starting to gather over Wisconsin, and there's a chance the leaders might have to cope with bad weather in the afternoon. They were three shots clear of anyone else. The top 18 players on the leaderboard going into the weekend have combined for zero majors.

Walker was too far back after the first round to make the cut, but the Oklahoma City native played much better Friday. What's resulted thus far is the highest number of under-par scores in U.S. Open history.