The Latest on the U. S. Open (all times local) :
ERIN, Wis. (AP) – The Latest on the U. S. Open (all times local) : 6: 55 p.m. Hideki Matsuyama had quite a day at Erin Hills. Chez Reavie, too. Matsuyama and Reavie each shot a 7-under 65 in the second round of the U. S. Open. Matsuyama moved into a tie for eighth at 5 under, and Reavie was 4 under in a tie for 13th. After Matsuyama and Reavie, the next best round of the day was Bill Haas’ 68. Paul Casey, Brian Harman, Tommy Fleetwood and Brooks Koepka are tied for the lead at 7 under. Matsuyama birdied six of his first eight holes. Reavie had five birdies in a six-hole stretch beginning on No. 11. ___ 6 p.m. There’s a four-way tie for the lead at the U. S. Open. Brooks Koepka bogeyed the par-3 sixth after hitting his tee shot near the grandstand and fell to 7 under. He’s tied with Brian Harman, Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey. Dustin Johnson is 1 over, on the cut line with six holes left. ___ 5: 10 p.m. 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. Rickie Fowler was playing so cleanly at Erin Hills that the record appeared to be in jeopardy. Fowler’s streak ended at 28 holes, however, when he went just long on the 11th hole and had to chip sideways to have any chance of a reasonable par putt. He missed the 15-footer. And then, Fowler took a second straight bogey at No. 12 to fall one shot behind Brooks Koepka. Meanwhile, the wind has died so much that while the course is getting firm and the greens a little crusty, it hasn’t affected the scoring. With about two hours left in the second round, the cut was looking to be 1-over par, which would tie a U. S. Open record. It was 1 over at Medinah in 1990. Dustin Johnson was right on the cut line with eight holes to play. ___ 4: 23 p.m. Rickie Fowler has some company on top of the U. S. Open leaderboard. Brooks Koepka started on No. 10 and made four birdies on his front nine to get to 9 under, moving into a tie with Fowler for the top spot. Fowler started on No. 1 made the turn at 2 under after a pair of birdies. Paul Casey was alone in third at 7 under after a 71 in the second round. Brian Harman and Tommy Fleetwood, playing together, were tied for fourth at 6 under. ___ 3: 34 p.m. A 94-year-old spectator has died at the U. S. Open. Washington County Sheriff Dale Schmidt told the United States Golf Association he appeared to die of natural causes. No other information was provided. ___ 3: 05 p.m. Danny Willett has withdrawn from the U. S. Open with a back injury. Willett shot a 9-over 81 in the first round and then withdrew before his tee time in the second round. The Englishman won the Masters last year for his only PGA Tour victory. ___ 2: 13 p.m. It sounds as if Erin Hills is becoming more challenging with each passing minute. Another warm, dry day is drying out the course during the second round of the U. S. Open, and the players are noticing a difference. Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who shot a 1-under 71, says « I think the greens are getting U. S. Open-like, but not as firm as they’re going to get if we don’t get any rain. But I think definitely getting a lot speedier, a lot faster. » Harris English is 4 under after a second-round 69. He says the greens on his last few holes « were firming up. » English says « They want par to be a good score, and this afternoon it will be. » ___ 1: 15 p.m. Rory McIlroy is trying to make a run as he closes out his second round at the U. S Open. But the second-ranked player in the world still has a lot of ground to make up at Erin Hills. McIlroy is 6 over for the tournament, 13 shots back of leaders Rickie Fowler and Paul Casey. McIlroy has birdied three of his last four holes. He just missed an eagle at the par-5 seventh after a long putt rolled just wide of the cup. McIlroy is back to even-par for the round after bogeying the first three holes on the front nine. ___ 12: 50 p.m. Another U. S. Open first for Xander Schauffele. This one he’d rather forget. Schauffele double bogeyed the par-3 13th hole. His drive appeared to sail into the rough. Later, a long put for bogey rolled just right of the hole before he tapped in. The 23-year-old from San Diego had been having an excellent debut at the Open. A run of 26 consecutive holes without a bogey ended when he rammed his long birdie putt on No. 9 about 12 feet by the hole and narrowly missed the par putt. The double bogey at 13 dropped Schauffele out of the lead at 5 under, two shots back of Rickie Fowler and Paul Casey. Fowler tees off in the afternoon. ___ Noon Paul Casey’s birdie run is over. But the Englishman now has a share of the lead at the U. S. Open. Casey birdied five straight holes before a 32-foot putt for birdie No. 6 strayed a foot left of the hole at the par-4 fourth. He tapped in for par. Casey is tied with Rickie Fowler at 7 under for the lead. It’s a nice comeback for Casey after he triple bogeyed the par-5 14th and shot 38 on the back nine. He’s back at 1 under as he finishes his round on the front nine. Fowler tees off his second round in the afternoon. ___ 11: 30 a.m. Xander Schauffele had never made a bogey in the U. S. Open until the par-3 ninth hole at Erin Hills. OK, this is his first U. S. Open. The performance of the 23-year-old from San Diego has been no less remarkable. Schauffele went 26 consecutive holes without a bogey until he rammed his long birdie putt on No. 9 about 12 feet by the hole and narrowly missed the par putt. He still went out in even-par 36 and was one shot behind Rickie Fowler, who plays in the afternoon. Also back in the mix: the mighty Paul Casey. Casey chopped his way to an 8 on the par-5 14th and shot 38 on the back nine. The Englishman has roared back to life with four straight birdies and is back to being one shot off the lead. ___ 10: 15 a.m. Here comes Si Woo Kim. The 21-year-old Kim is charging up the leaderboard in the second round of the U. S. Open. He birdied three straight holes to move into second at 6 under, one shot back of co-leaders Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele. Kim won The Players Championship in May for his second PGA Tour title. Bill Haas also is off to a nice start, with three birdies and no bogeys through his first eight holes. He is 3 under for the tournament. ___ 10 a.m. Paul Casey is the latest example of how little it takes to record a big number in the U. S. Open. Casey started the second round just one shot behind Rickie Fowler, and he tied Fowler briefly with a birdie on the par-4 11th hole before dropping a shot on the 12th.
