Erin Hills made its debut as a U.S. Open course Thursday with a most gracious welcome for Rickie Fowler, who matched the record to par in the opening round with a 7-under 65 on the longest course in major championship history.
Johnson, who arrived late at Erin Hills following the birth of his second child on Monday, will now have extra time to spend with his infant son. He became the first player to reach 13 under at the U.S. Open in the second round, but double-bogeyed 18 to close at 11 under and with a six-shot lead.
"Then clawed all the way back and actually picked up one more to the good by the time we were finished".
That got him into the weekend here, but on the 36-hole cut line, and eight shots behind co-leaders Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Brian Harman and Brooks Koepka.
The final pairing of Casey and Harman are scheduled to tee off at 2:29 p.m. (1925 GMT), but a forecast calling for the possibility of thunderstorms could disrupt third-round action. But I think at the end of the day it's competitive rounds with a card in my hand that I need and I've been very light on them this year. I guess it's [rare] you get through a U.S. Open or any major without some kind of hiccup.
"Even though it's very disappointing to not be here on the weekend, I think these last two rounds will serve me well going into the summer", McIlroy said.
After weeks of pouring his heart and soul into qualifying for the first U.S. Open played in Wisconsin, Madison's Steve Stricker was right where he wanted to be after the tournament's second round. Thomas made six birdies and one bogey on his front nine in the third round, and Hoffman birdied three of his first five holes.
Rory McIlroy will miss the cut, but at least one of his U.S. Open records is safe - 35 consecutive holes without a bogey to start a U.S. Open.
"If you look at this golf course and you talk to me, Jason or Rory, this golf course sets up ideal for us", Johnson said.
"It doesn't need to be too much of a change for this golf course to play pretty hard", he said. Sergio Garcia might shoot 63 on Saturday and give himself a chance to win the first two majors of the year, but everyone here at the course will be waiting for a plague of locusts or frogs at that point!
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On Thursday, McIlroy hit just five fairways and nine greens in regulation. He failed to advance his fourth shot more than a foot as the high grass grabbed the club. He missed the cut at last year's PGA and withdrew from this year's Masters after falling down a staircase.
And with the tees moved up on the 15th hole to make it reachable, Thomas hit a 3-wood that rolled off the back slope of the green to 6 feet.
Not to be overlooked was Si Woo Kim, who captured THE PLAYERS Championship last month. That's two Brits and two Americans, and no one you'd recognize if you saw them in the Tally Ho Pub & Grill a mile from Erin Hills.
A superb chip to three feet set up the birdie on the 597-yard first hole before he then demolished the short par-four second.
"Yeah, 12 under, I'd have about a 10-shot lead in most Opens", he said.
"Not every day you enjoy a round of golf with an 8 on the card, but I'm a pretty happy man", Casey said.
McIlroy, however, who had come into the tournament from an injury layoff after a niggling rib problem, said he was encouraged by his performance.
"As we all know, this game's all about putting", he said.
"But I only ate one of them as I had a banana, as well".
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