Big guns fail to make cut

McIlroy, Johnson out of contetion; Casey leads

England’s Paul Casey featured in a four-way tie at the top of the 117th US Open leaderboard on Friday as the big guns crashed out of contention.

On another day of low-scoring at the Erin Hills course in Wisconsin, Casey and compatriot Tommy Fleetwood were bunched on seven under alongside Americans Brooks Koepka and Brian Harman after the second round.

Behind the leading quartet, a logjam grouped eight players within two shots of the lead.

Jamie Lovemark, Rickie Fowler and JB Holmes featured in a three-way tie at six under.

South Korea’s Kim Si-Woo and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama were among five players on five under which also included amateur Cameron Champ.

Matsuyama, who had struggled in the opening round with a two-over-par 74, produced an electrifying second round seven- under-par 65 to thrust himself firmly into contention.

American Chez Reavie also scored 65 on a day when Erin Hills failed for the most part to bare its fangs.
With the past six majors going to players who have never won a major before, there is a good chance that run could be extended this weekend.

None of the top 18 players on the leaderboard have won a major championship before and stars such as world number two Rory McIlroy and Australia’s Jason Day both missed the cut.

Casey took his place amongst the leading group after recovering from an early implosion that sent him plunging down the leaderboard.

Casey, who had shot a six-under-par 66 on Thursday, came unstuck with a disastrous triple bogey eight on the 14th after teeing off on the 10th hole.

However the 39-year-old world number 14 unfurled a sequence of five straight birdies to haul himself back up the leaderboard, carding a one-under-par 71 to finish the day at seven under.
“Not every day you enjoy a round of golf with an eight on the card, but I’m a pretty happy man,” Casey said. “It was a bit of a roller coaster.”

Scores (US unless specified): 137: Paul Casey (Eng) (66, 71), Brian Harman (67, 70), Brooks Koepka (67, 70),Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) (67, 70); 138: Jamie Lovemark (69, 69), Rickie Fowler (65, 73), JB Holmes (69, 69); 139: Kim Si-Woo (Kor) (69, 70), Xander Schauffele (66, 73), Cameron Ch­amp-a (70, 69), Brandt Snedeker (70, 69), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) (74, 65); 140: Br­endan Steele (71, 69), Marc Leishman (Aus) (68, 72), Harris English (71-69, Bill Haas 72-68, Charley Hoffman 70-70, Chez Re­avie 70-65; 141: William McGirt (70, 71), Russell Henley (71, 70), Sergio Garcia (Esp) (70, 71), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) (69, 72).