Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg led the US Open by one shot going into the third round, hoping to become the first debut winner in over a century. Aberg shot a 69 in the second round at Pinehurst for a total of five under par, with Thomas Detry, Bryson DeChambeau, and Patrick Cantlay close behind at four under. Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, and Matthieu Pavon were just one shot back, with the cut falling at five over par.
Scottie Scheffler barely made the cut on the mark of five over par, while Francesco Molinari made a hole-in-one on his final hole to also qualify for the weekend. Aberg’s remarkable start to his professional career included winning on the DP World Tour, helping Europe win the Ryder Cup, and claiming victory on the PGA Tour. He impressed at the Masters in April by challenging Scheffler for the win.
Aberg acknowledged the challenge of the US Open, stating that the tough conditions are intended to test all aspects of a player’s game. He expressed gratitude for his recent success and hoped to maintain his performance in the following rounds. Tyrrell Hatton, reflecting on the tournament, humorously described his internal feelings during a US Open.
Statistician Justin Ray provided an encouraging statistic for those players at two under or better, offering hope for a strong finish. Sepp Straka and Francesco Molinari both achieved hole-in-ones during the second round, with Molinari’s helping him make the cut. Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and England’s Sam Bairstow had impressive rounds, with Bairstow improving significantly from his opening round performance.
The short par-four 13th was the easiest hole of the second round, while the eighth proved to be the most challenging. Selected tee times for the third round included matchups between top players like Scottie Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, and Bryson DeChambeau. The weather forecast predicted gusty winds and warm temperatures for the upcoming round, adding to the challenging conditions at the US Open.
