A weekend showdown of golf’s prime stars was set Friday on the US Open as two-time main winner Collin Morikawa seized a share of the lead whereas Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy have been one stroke adrift. Seventh-ranked Morikawa fired a four-under par 66 and American Joel Dahmen, who shot 68, joined him on five-under 135 after 36 holes at The Nation Membership. Second-ranked defending champion Rahm, third-ranked McIlroy and Individuals Hayden Buckley, Aaron Smart and Beau Hossler shared third on 136. “Nobody has taken it deep thus far and run away,” Morikawa mentioned. “However you already know what, proper now my recreation feels actually good.
“The previous few days is a large confidence booster for me heading into this weekend, and hopefully we will make some separation someway.”
Morikawa gained final 12 months’s British Open and the 2020 PGA Championship and the 25-year-old American might discover himself 75% of the best way to a profession Grand Slam by Sunday evening.
“I am unable to actually discuss what it could be wish to win this one. I’ve bought to deal with tomorrow,” Morikawa mentioned. “I’ve bought to verify I do not run out of steam… I’ve simply bought to determine a technique to focus a bit bit deeper and actually get dialed in for the following 36.”
Beginning on the tenth tee, Morikawa made birdie putts of 10 ft on the twelfth gap, 13 ft on the par-5 14th, 14 ft on the seventeenth and 33 ft on the first.
After his lone bogey on the fourth, Morikawa dropped his second shot on the par-4 eighth 4 ft from the cup however missed his eagle putt and settled for birdie.
“I knew the tempo was a bit off,” Morikawa mentioned. “It simply occurred to be a foul stroke. So I am not too apprehensive about it actually.”
McIlroy, who endured a double-bogey catastrophe on the third gap, sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the twelfth, drove the inexperienced in two to arrange a tap-in birdie on the par-5 14th and sank a 12-foot birdie putt at 17.
“I am in a very good place,” McIlroy mentioned. “I am actually proud of the place my recreation is at and I believe that is crucial factor.”
McIlroy, chasing his first main title since 2014, comes off a victory in final week’s PGA Canadian Open. Not since 1934 has a participant gained the week earlier than after which captured the US Open.
“I’ve to exit with the mindset this week that I will attempt to win my first once more,” McIlroy mentioned. “I am enjoying pretty much as good a golf as I’ve performed in a very long time.”
Prime-ranked Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, with an eagle and two birdies within the final six holes, was on 137.
“I simply stayed actual affected person,” mentioned Scheffler. “If a couple of putts had gone in as a substitute of round, it might have been a extremely special occasion.”
Rahm, a back-nine starter, holed a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 14th, drove the inexperienced to arrange a birdie on the par-4 fifth and chipped from the tough forward of a tap-in birdie at eight.
“It is nice for the sport of golf that the highest-ranked gamers and one of the best gamers are up there,” Rahm mentioned. “It is enjoyable for all of us as a result of all of us wish to compete towards one of the best and beat one of the best.”
Dahmen, 34, gained his solely PGA title final 12 months within the Dominican Republic. He missed a 10-foot birdie putt at 18 that might have given him the lead alone.
“It is all form of a blur, which might be a very good factor,” Dahmen mentioned. “Dealt with nerves fairly properly on the market. It should be fairly a weekend.”
Mickelson misses minimize
Six-time main winner Phil Mickelson missed the minimize on 11-over 151. The 52-year-old US lefthander was amongst 15 rebels from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Sequence dealing with US PGA Tour stars.
US main champions Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed have been one of the best of the LIV gamers within the area on 141, with Bryson DeChambeau and Richard Bland additionally making the minimize on 142. However LIV gamers have been a mixed 53-over on Thursday and 36-over on Friday.
With the richest purses in golf historical past, LIV Golf has lured expertise from the PGA Tour, which banned 17 present and former members final week after they performed LIV’s debut occasion in England.
Matters talked about on this article