Staff Reporter.
File Photo.
England’s Richard Bland shares an unexpected US Open lead after a second-round 67 at Torrey Pines.
The world number 115 is, playing in the event for only the second time, shot a four-under round to lead on five under.
Late starter Russell Henley was leading until a bogey on the last saw him card a 70 to finish level with Bland.
Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau is level par after a 68, alongside two-time winner Brooks Koepka (73), with Rory McIlroy (73) on one over.
Bland, 48, lost his European Tour card two years ago, but fought back and won a first title on the circuit in his 478th event in May.
“I am very proud,” Bland – the oldest man to lead the US Open at the halfway stage – told Sky Sports.
“To lead a major is always pretty special. I tied the lead at The Open in 2017 for a hole, so it is nice to have it a bit longer than that.”
South African Louis Oosthuizen, who was among 36 players who had to complete their first rounds on Friday morning after fog delayed Thursday’s play, followed a bogey-free 67 with a 71 that featured two late birdies to leave him one adrift of the leaders.
The late starters provided less excitement with increasingly firm greens making birdies difficult, but American Matthew Wolff, runner-up to DeChambeau at Winged Foot in last year’s US Open, shot a 68 to reach four under.
Earlier, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson’s 67 left him two off the pace on three under, alongside world number three Jon Rahm, who carded a 70.
Spaniard Rahm, who led the Memorial event on the PGA Tour earlier in June by six shots but was forced to withdraw after a positive coronavirus test,may is well placed to put that disappointment behind him – and on a much bigger stage.
San Diego native Phil Mickelson had a healthy fan following on the California course and there was plenty of noise as the left-hander – a six-time runner-up in the US Open, the only major he lacks – holed a birdie on the last to card a 69 and finish two shots inside the four-over cut mark.
Following his emotional British Masters victory, Bland said he found inspiration in Mickelson’s US PGA Championship win at the record age of 50 and while the American was ranked 115th in the world.