BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open (all times local):
11 a.m.
M.J. Daffue had a perfect lie. It was on the fake turf covering the floor of a hospitality tent to the left of the 14th fairway.
He hit a great shot there, covering about 250 yards to end up pin high in the rough on the 616-yard par 5. But he duffed the chip shot and made a bogey 6 anyway.
After that big adventure, the South African dropped to 4-under par, which was still good for a one-shot lead at the U.S. Open as he headed into his last five holes.
Matt Fitzpatrick was one shot behind Daffue, in a tie for second, as he began his second nine.
The rest of the group at 3 under had afternoon tee times. That included Rory McIlroy, Callum Tarren, David Lingmerth and Joel Dahmen.
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10:25 a.m.
M.J. Daffue has a two-shot lead as he heads into the homestretch of his second round at the U.S. Open. He is 5-under par with six holes to play.
Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club in 2013, shot 1-under 34 over his first nine holes to climb into a second-place tie at 3 under.
Also at 3 under are Rory McIlroy, David Lingmerth, Joel Dahmen and Callum Tarren; all have afternoon tee times on a warm, windy day outside of Boston. There's a 30% chance of thunderstorms hitting the Brookline area this afternoon.
First-round leader Adam Hadwin made two bogeys over his first four holes to drop to 2 under — three shots behind Daffue.
Phil Mickelson's struggles continue. He is 3 over for the day and 11 over for the tournament. He's tied for 147th.
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9:15 a.m.
M.J. Daffue has opened a three-shot lead early in the second round of the U.S. Open.
The South African rolled in a 70-foot putt from off the front of the seventh green for his third birdie of the front nine. It put him at 6-under par, three shots ahead of Rory McIlroy and a group of three others who play Friday afternoon.
First-round leader Adam Hadwin made two bogeys over the first three holes to drop to 2 under, four shots off the lead.
Only 26 of the 156 players at The Country Club were under par midway through the morning rounds on Day 2.
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8:15 a.m.
Justin Thomas had one of 25 scores under par in the first round of the U.S. Open. He didn't stay in red numbers for very long.
Thomas pulled his approach on No. 10 to start the second round. It left him in a precarious spot above the green in deep grass. Worse yet, he was above the hole. His first attempt at a flop shot moved the ball a foot. The next one got onto the green and rolled 25 feet past the hole.
He made double bogey, and then missed a 4-foot par putt on the next hole.
Players are expecting The Country Club to get tougher as the week goes on. It doesn't seem that way to MJ Daffue (pronounced “Duffy”). He already has three birdies through five holes and was leading at 5-under par in the early going.
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