Sam burns holds a one-shot lead at the 2025 U.S. Open halfway point.
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OAKMONT, Pa. – The halfway point of the
2025 U.S. Open
has arrived, and the lead has shrunk from four to three under par.
Sam Burns
now leads by one stroke over J.J. Spaun,who led after the first round.
What can we expect from Round 3? here are five key storylines for Saturday at
Oakmont.
Sam Burns on fire
Table of Contents
While major champions like Shane Lowry and Justin Rose struggled, Burns thrived,
carding a remarkable five-under 65,
the tournament’s best round so far.
Even though Burns is still seeking his first major victory, he came close at last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst, finishing in a tie for ninth place.
What happened to Scottie?
After an initial round of three-over 73 on Thursday, Scheffler aimed to recover ground on Friday. Unfortunately, his 71 didn’t improve his position, leaving him at four over par. Seven shots behind with two rounds remaining, he needs a remarkable performance in Round 3 to stay in contention for his fourth major title.
In essence, Saturday’s round will considerably impact his pursuit of major No. 4.
Will experience take command?
Only two major champions are currently in the top 10: Adam Scott (E) and Brooks Koepka (+2).
Scott, whose last major victory was the 2013 Masters, boasts an impressive record of 20 top-10 finishes in majors since 2002.
Koepka
is vying for his sixth major title, his first since the 2023 PGA Championship.
The defending champ heads home early
Bryson DeChambeau generated considerable buzz coming into this week, as both the defending U.S. Open champion and recent top-5 finisher at the Masters and PGA Championship.
Following a first-round three-over-par, DeChambeau hoped for a comeback on Friday. However, he struggled, carding eight bogeys and a double, resulting in a 77. This pushed him to 10 over par, missing the cutline by three strokes.
Multiple high-profile winners missed the cut
DeChambeau wasn’t the only notable player to miss the cut. Other prominent players who failed to advance, finishing at seven over par or worse, include:
Ludvig Aberg (72-76, +8)
Wyndham Clark (74-74, +8)
Patrick Cantlay (76-72 +8)
Lucas Glover (74-74, +8)
Cameron smith (75-73, +8)
Phil Mickelson (74-74, +8)
Tommy Fleetwood (74-75, +9)
Min Wooe Lee (77-72, +9)
dustin Johnson (75-75, +10)
Joaquin Niemann (75, 75 +10)
Gary Woodland (73-77, +10)
Sepp Straka (78-73, +11)
Justin Thomas (76-76, +12)

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