The Albany Gazette - Clark leads as fellow major winners charge at US Open

Clark, the 2023 US Open winner, curled in a 33-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to fire a one-under par 69 and stand on seven-under 133 for 36 holes.

"That hole it kind of feeds toward the hole so I just thought I'd get it started," Clark said of his last putt. "I had it on a good line and I almost really called it. I'm glad it went in. It was a great way to finish the round."

The 32-year-old American led England's Fitzpatrick and compatriot Schauffele by four with Morikawa another stroke adrift.

On a 20-hole day, Clark parred his first 10, starting with two holes Friday morning to complete a six-under par 64 opening round.

A fog delay had prevented completion of the first round on Thursday.

Clark began his second round with eight pars but lipped out a 43-foot birdie putt at the ninth then missed a three-foot comeback putt.

"Had an awesome day yesterday and then came out today, wasn't as good, but I really fought and hopefully this is the toughest day for me," Clark said.

Clark, a PGA Tour winner last month in Texas, sank a five-foot birdie putt at the 12th and added a birdie putt from just beyond 28 feet at 13 to reach seven-under.

Clark rescued par from the right rough at 14 and left rough at 15 but found two fairway bunkers on the way to a bogey at the par-five 16th before closing with his best putt to boost his lead.

England's Fitzpatrick fired a 70 to stand on 137. The 2022 US Open winner followed 10 pars with bogeys at 11, on a five-foot par putt miss, and 12, when he hit a cart path on his second shot.

He then birdied the par-five 16th from just inside 10 feet and sank a 13-foot birdie putt at 18.

"Two in the last three always nice, especially at a US Open," Fitzpatrick said. "Didn't really feel like I made too much up until those two holes really. Struggled a little bit off the tee on the back nine, but overall scrambled incredibly well to be where I am."

Two-time major winner Schauffele, a back-nine starter, birdied three of his last four holes before the turn and sandwiched birdies at the fourth and sixth around his lone bogey.

Two-time major winner Morikawa made five birdies in his first 10 holes in shooting a 65. The American had a tap-in birdie at 15 and sank an eight-foot birdie putt at 16 but found a bunker at the par-three 17th and made bogey.

"I chipped it a lot better," said Morikawa. That's the difference of kicking yourself out of a tournament, keeping yourself in it. Got off to a good start, hit a couple of good iron shots, but made the up-and-downs."

- McIlroy out late -

Other rivals, meanwhile, fell by the wayside.

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson pulled within a stroke with a birdie on 10 only to double bogey the par-three 11th and bogey 12 and 13 on his way to a 77 to finish 10 adrift on 143.

Fellow American Gary Woodland, the 2019 US Open winner, began with a birdie to reach four-under but made bogeys on four of the next six holes and shot 73 to stand on 140.

Justin Thomas, a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, went three-under on the back nine, made bogeys at the first and third holes but closed with a three-foot birdie putt at nine to shoot 68 and stand on 139.

Six-time major winner Rory McIlroy, the world number two from Northern Ireland, was set for a late start after opening on 69.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory this week, opened on two-over and goes off late as well.

(O.Robinson--TAG)