The US Open scoring returned to normal on Day Two. There were plenty of birdies out there, but in contrast too Day One, there were more bogeys. The lowest score of the day was one (1) score of -5 and two (2) scores of -4. Quite a difference from the previous round. With the trend of scores on the rise, I wonder if the remaining field will be able to plug the dam. With the weather supposedly drying out Los Angeles Country Club (LACC), I would suspect the scores will continue to rise a bit more and plane off for the final round.

As a quick recap, with 154 players in the field who would have thought that 37 would be in red numbers and another 19 at even par on Day One. Now, there are 29 players in read numbers and only 9 players at even par. I would say that the USGA setup combined with a drier LACC contributed to higher scoring average. “The North Course was markedly more difficult in the afternoon. The scoring average in the first round was 71.38 with 37 players under par. There were six rounds of 65 or better and 340 birdies or eagles. On Friday, the scoring average was 72.22 with 33 players under par. There was just one round under 65 and 291 birdies or eagles, according to Elias.” (ESPN) It will be interesting to see what happens today.

The rounds I enjoyed watching the most was Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler. They shot -3 and -2 respectively, however they shot 15 birdies total. That means that they also shot 10 bogeys with Fowler making six of those. It was like they were on a pogo stick as their scores rose and fell unexpectedly. Both hit the ball very well, but LACC was not going to give up any low scores just for the fun of it. It was amazing that both of these players are not leading by 5 or 6 strokes given how well they struck the ball, but alas, welcome to the real 2023 US Open.

There were many great shots made yesterday distributed amongst many players. Here is an interesting highlight of some great shots:

The player who did not get much notoriety was Dusting Johnson. With a quad (4 over par) on the second hole, many thought he would pack up his bags and head home. Not DJ! He demonstrated his form of past and proceeded to shoot five birdies and one bogey for the last 16 holes. Today might be his day and is definitely a player to watch. He has the experience and temperament to win at LACC and after his amazing round yesterday, I would not be surprised if he is in the final group tomorrow.

The other player to watch is Rory McIlroy. I realize that this seems like a no brainer, however I wonder who will show up today. Will it the Rory of past where his confidence beat back his opponents or the Rory who folds during at least one round during a Major. I am rooting for Rory as he continues to hit fairways and greens.

The last person I want to mention is Wyndham Clark. Having one career win (2023) does not indicate his abilities. He turned pro in 2017 and joined the PGA Tour in 2019. Growing in confidence and experience, Clark seemed poised to make something happen in 2023. This year he consistently plays strong golf amassing 6 top 10s. He is 26th on Tour for GIR percentage and 30th in putting. This is a great combination when playing in the US Open Championship. He may not be a household name, but Clark has game. It will be interesting to see if he can handle the pressure of being in the last group at a Major.

Today will be great fun. With only 66 players making the cut, coverage of great shots should be easier. I know I will be watching later in the day and look forward to seeing who rises to the top heading into Sunday.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!