It’s a transitional day in North Carolina, and we’re starting with a US Open rookie leading the way.
Ludvig Åberg entered Saturday with a one-shot lead over the field after having a 1-under 69 on Friday at No. 2 Pinehurst in North Carolina. He is playing in his first ever US Open, and is only a few months away from his first major appearance. If he can pull off a win this week, he will be the first rookie in the tournament to do so in more than 100 years.
But Åberg’s advance was short-lived. Mathieu Pavone, who briefly held a share of the lead on Friday before two late bogeys hurt him, quickly overtook Åberg on the front nine on Saturday afternoon. Pavón chipped in three birdies on the front nine, nearly matching the low round of the day before he made the turn, while Oberg firmly held par.
There are plenty of big names behind both, including Bryson DeChambeau — who took the solo lead after his birdie at the 10th, which came after a ridiculous approach in which he carried 278 yards with a 6-iron. Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy and Tony Finau are still in the mix as well.
Early Saturday, Pinehurst was the big winner. Only a very few golfers made it to the lower level, and the average early score was around 73. Collin Morikawa was the only exception. He scored a bogey-free 66, which brought him back to par. Depending on how the rest of the afternoon goes, there may be a Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler, on the other hand, struggled again. He said golf at the US Open is like a “mental torture chamber.”
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6-Iron from 278
Bryson DeChambeau just hit a 6-iron from 257 yards on an already 630-yard par 5. 6-iron from 257. Unfortunately, he only hit it 256, a yard short of clearing the green-side trap.
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Finau shot at 9, much better than McIlroy
Tony Finau hit a brilliant iron on the par-3 ninth hole, using the slope to get within seven feet of the hole. It was a thing of beauty, something Rory McIlroy couldn’t match. Good luck next time Rory!
Both would drain their shots, McIlroy with the more difficult, pushing him to 4 under and Finau to 5 under, one shot clear of Pavone.
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Bryson to within 1
DeChambeau stole a birdie on the seventh to join Aberg at 6 under, just one ahead of Pavon.
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Bryson DeChambeau is there signing autographs
While every player in the LIV has turned into a persona non grata since moving to the rival tour, Bryson DeChambeau has managed to become one of the most likable (and now popular) players on either tour. But signing autographs during the tour? These guys don’t even like to bang their fists between holes, let alone stop, grab someone’s pen and sign something, but apparently that’s what DeChambeau once did.
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Pavon is in the lead
Mathieu Pavone’s three birdies, including one from downtown on No. 7, put the Frenchman into the lead himself.
At 3 under on his tour so far, Pavon is the odd one out. Par is a good result today at Pinehurst. None fell below Collin Morikawa’s mark of 66 earlier in the day.
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Aberg gives one back
Ludvig Aberg’s first slide came on the long fourth. After a good drive, he missed the green well just short of his approach, and was unable to get on and off.
This left him in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard until Tony Finau beat him to sixth place. So Aberg and Pavon are at the top.
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Pavon moves to the back
Mathieu Pavone continued to keep pace with Aberg, knocking down a birdie on the fifth to reach 5 under.
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Aberg gets a break and a birdie
Ludvig Aberg pulled his drive on the driveable third to the left, just enough for there to be a runway between his ball and his line to the green. So he got a free drop, got chipped and then immediately drained 28 feet for birdie.
That should have given him a brief two-point lead, until his playing partner Bryson DeChambeau cleaned up a short 3 1/2-foot birdie. Except… DeChambeau missed it.
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Terrell Hatton with the Eagle
You have to capitalize on the par 5 — there are only two on Pinehurst No. 2 — and that’s exactly what Terrell Hatton did, hitting the green at No. 5 in two, then rolling a 14-footer for eagle. This moves him to fourth under, in a group that includes McIlroy, Finau, DeChambeau and Pavon who are Aberg’s full-backs.
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Rory, Finau is just one full-back
Rory McIlroy moves back after a birdie on the third. This was followed by partner Tony Finau’s birdie play in the second to bring it to 4 under and one back.
With the third play just 316 yards away, McIlroy’s second goal came from the greenside bunker
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Cantlay makes the save
Patrick Cantlay started his round with a bogey, which dropped him two out of the lead, then faced off from 21 feet to salvage par at second. A bogey start has a way of derailing a round quickly, but Cantlay wasn’t having it, hitting the ball straight into the hole.
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