Belgium’s Thomas Detry recorded three consecutive birdies to jump out to an early lead in the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday, while former leader-tied Patrick Cantlay prepares to tee off at Pinehurst.
Starting on the back nine, Detry, ranked 55th in the world, birdied the 11th, 12th and 13th holes before bogeying the 14th hole, but then birdied the first, third and the par-5 fifth hole to finish at 6 under par, one stroke behind Cantlay.
Tied for third at four under par were world No. 6 Ludvig Averi from Sweden, who was runner-up at the Masters in April despite playing in his first major, and 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau, the runner-up at last month’s PGA Championship, endured a rollercoaster round of five birdies and four bogeys before landing his approach inches short of the hole on the 18th for a tap-in birdie to shoot a 69 and move to four-under 136, tied with Aberg.
Cantlay, the American ranked ninth in the world and seeking his first major title, and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy each shot a seven-under 65 to share the lead after 18 holes.
McIlroy, seeking his first major win in 10 years, bogeyed the final round for a 72 and took the lead at three-under 137 after 36 holes.
This puts him in fifth place, tied with recent competitor Mathieu Pavon of France.
McIlroy, a four-time major champion from Northern Ireland, stumbled early with bogeys on the 11th hole and the par-3 15th hole, but he made a birdie on the third hole to move to within one of the leader at four under par.
Detry tied his best PGA Tour finish with a runner-up finish at the Houston Open in March.
The 31-year-old Belgian finished tied for fourth at the PGA Championship last month, his best finish in a major tournament.
Detry sank a 17-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole, a 13-foot putt on the 12th hole and a 16-foot putt on the 13th hole, but missed the green with his approach on the 14th hole for bogey.
Detry drilled his approach just outside 3 feet for a birdie putt on the first hole, then sank a 22-foot birdie putt on the third hole to tie Cantlay for the lead.
On the fifth hole, Detry reached the green in two strokes and made a tap-in birdie to take the lead.
Cantlay has had slow starts in major tournaments, with his best result being third place at the 2019 PGA Championship, and he was heading into the second round.
Starting on the back nine on Friday morning, world No. 3 McIlroy bogeyed the 11th hole after lipping out a 6-foot hole for par, then fell back after missing a 10-foot par putt on the par-3 15th hole.
McIlroy made a crucial par putt from within 40 feet on the par-3 17th hole, then sank a 7-foot birdie putt on the third hole to move to 4 under, but made a bogey on the final hole.
– Schaeffler promoted to 74th –
McIlroy, aiming for his fifth major win, faced off against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 2 Xander Schauffele, who have both won major titles this year.
Scheffler and Schauffele each made double bogeys on the par-5 fifth hole, but McIlroy made a 9-foot par-saving putt.
Scheffler, who was the favorite to win before the tournament, shot 74 for a five-over par 145 and was in danger of missing the cut, but Schauffele, who won last month’s PGA Championship, shot 69 to finish tied for 10th at 139, four strokes behind the leader.
For Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, it was the first major round of his career without a birdie, but he lost with bogeys on the par-3 15th and 17th holes, plus a double bogey of his own.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman has started a major tournament without a bogey the last three times he has done so – winning the 2014 British Open, the 2012 PGA Championship and the 2011 U.S. Open.
Over the past decade, McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in major championships 20 times but has yet to win.
McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in his last five U.S. Open appearances, improving his ranking each year and finishing runner-up last year to American Wyndham Clark, who is ranked No. 4 in the world.
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