Tommy Fleetwood remains optimistic about his chances at the US Open, despite a challenging second round leaving him seven shots adrift of leader Wyndham Clark, as conditions are poised to become even more formidable over the weekend.
The Englishman carded a one-over-par 71, placing him joint 22nd after Friday’s play.
Fleetwood, who will again play alongside Ludvig Aberg, faced the tougher side of the draw, missing Thursday’s more favourable scoring conditions that Clark capitalised on, before battling stiff winds as the course dried out on Friday.
Forecasters predict gusts could reach 33mph on Saturday afternoon, suggesting significant shifts are possible.
Reflecting on his performance, Fleetwood admitted: “I should have shot a couple better and that’s a little bit frustrating, but at the same time you take what you get and I did a lot of good stuff and at the end of the day we’re still in a pretty good position.”
He highlighted the unpredictable nature of the tournament, adding: “You have one person that is a long way in front and Wyndham has had an unbelievable two days and aside from that you have three under which is the next best score. Anyone who’s made the cut and has a good front nine and is three or four under, you are only three shots from second place.
“That’s what US Opens are like. If you make the cut you just never know what can happen if you grind it out, depending on conditions. I don’t feel like I’m in that bad of a position. I’d like to be a couple back, but there’s 36 holes to go and you just have to keep fighting the golf course and see where you end up.”
While Clark holds a commanding lead, the chasing pack features a host of major champions. Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffle are both at three under, with Collin Morikawa at two under and Justin Thomas one under. World number one Scottie Scheffler and world number two Rory McIlroy are both at level par, teeing off an hour and a half before the final group.
Scheffler, who is attempting to complete a career grand slam, quietly moved into joint 11th with a two-under 68. The four-time major winner commented: “The tournament is halfway done. I did a good job of kind of hanging in there the last two days and hopefully start making a bit of a move over the next couple of days.”
With challenging conditions expected to intensify, the stage is set for a dramatic weekend where resilience and strategic play will be paramount.
