The second round of the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club was nothing short of a survival test. With its punishing rough, glassy greens, and pencil-thin fairways, the historic Pennsylvania course claimed several high-profile victims—including defending champion Bryson DeChambeau—and rewarded only the most resilient with a ticket to the weekend. Amid the chaos, a new leader emerged, but even that seemed tenuous under Oakmont’s relentless gaze.
Bryson bows out as the cutline devours the stars
It’s official: Bryson DeChambeau won’t be defending his US Open title this weekend. The two-time champion struggled mightily at Oakmont on Friday, carding a 7-over 77 to finish 10-over through 36 holes—well outside the cutline. Caught in the clutches of Oakmont’s thick rough and deceptive greens, DeChambeau couldn’t summon the power or precision that carried him to victory last year.
It’s the first time since 2020 that a defending US Open champion has failed to make the cut. But DeChambeau wasn’t the only star to fall. Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and Justin Rose all failed to survive the Friday purge, their games unraveling under Oakmont’s punishing conditions.
While the names falling off the leaderboard commanded headlines, the message was clear: this course respects no reputation. Even the best in the game were made to look pedestrian, and the price of every misstep was high.
Sam Burns leads a field holding on by its fingernails
On a course where par feels like birdie and double bogeys are contagious, Sam Burns stood tall. The world No. 22 shot a near-flawless 5-under 65 on Friday to leapfrog into the lead at 3-under for the tournament, one shot ahead of first-round leader JJ Spaun.
Burns, who finished ninth at last year’s US Open, seems to have unlocked the secret to surviving Oakmont: total commitment. “You really just have to free it up,” he said post-round. “You’re going to hit some in the rough, you’re going to hit some in bad spots—you might as well do it with authority.”
He kept his cool even as the sun pierced through the haze and the greens began to bake. Five consecutive pars closed out his round, a finish that spoke volumes about his mental toughness on a course where one wobble can become a landslide.
Scottie Scheffler teeters, then scrambles into the weekend
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler came dangerously close to joining the exodus. After starting strong with a birdie, he spiraled with bogeys on 15, 17, and 1, landing right on the projected cut line. A birdie on No. 2 offered brief relief, only to be followed by a demoralizing bogey at the infamous church pew bunker on No. 3.
At one point, the PGA Championship winner’s body language told the story—clubs slammed, eyes cast down, lips muttering in frustration. Yet somehow, Scheffler salvaged the round with birdies on No. 4 and No. 7. A bogey on his final hole, No. 9, left him at 4-over for the tournament—good enough to live another day, but far from comfortable.
“Mentally this was as tough as I’ve battled for the whole day,” Scheffler admitted afterward. His Friday effort marked his sixth consecutive over-par round at the US Open, a stat that underscores just how unforgiving this major has become.
Rory McIlroy rides the roller coaster
Rory McIlroy also flirted with disaster. Starting the day with two double bogeys in his first three holes, McIlroy seemed destined for a short stay at Oakmont. His nightmare at the third hole—a bunker miss followed by a rough miscue and a failed recovery—summed up the challenge of the day.
But the Northern Irishman rallied with grit. He went 2-under over his final 15 holes, capped by a superb birdie at the 18th, where his approach landed with precision and spun to within five feet. McIlroy drained the putt and walked off with renewed hope and a fighting chance for the weekend. His story is emblematic of the day: Oakmont may punish, but it also rewards resilience.
Brutality across the board
While Scheffler and McIlroy clung to their spots, others fell hard. Sungjae Im, who opened with a 68 on Thursday, shot a disastrous 77 on Friday, undone by bogeys and a double on 18. Ryan McCormick and Jordan Spieth also suffered collapses—Spieth’s 75 ended with visible frustration, while McCormick’s 77 ensured he wouldn’t return for the weekend.
Justin Thomas’ round reached a nadir on the 12th hole, where he four-puted from just inside 30 feet, missing from three, four, and two feet before finally sinking it—an agonizing double bogey that mirrored the frustration felt throughout the field. And JJ Spaun, Thursday’s bogey-free hero? He racked up six bogeys Friday to shoot a 2-over 72, falling off the top spot but still in contention.
Oakmont’s rare gifts and record chasers
Despite the carnage, Oakmont still offered glimpses of magic. Frenchman Victor Perez produced the shot of the day with an ace on the 192-yard par-3 sixth, the ball taking two bounces before rolling dead center. Remarkably, it was his third hole-in-one this month.
There was also Thomas Detry’s eagle on the 14th, dunked straight in from 141 yards, and amateur Ben James’ monster 297-yard drive on 17 that left him seven feet for eagle—one he converted to roaring applause. But Oakmont giveth sparingly. “There’s no gimme hole out here,” Burns said. “You’ve got to focus on every shot, every moment. Mentally, it wears on you. That’s the real test.”
Looking ahead: the weekend cut and the odds
History is not kind to comeback stories at the US Open. Eleven of the last 12 winners were inside the top five after 36 holes. Only three champions have ever emerged from outside the top 20. That statistic looms over players like Scheffler, McIlroy, and others still clinging to red numbers.
Still, with Oakmont playing as tough as it ever has, nothing feels safe. A single swing can turn the tide, for better or worse. As the weekend approaches and weather threatens to add even more volatility, the US Open is set to deliver a battle of attrition. Only the most precise—and mentally steeled—will emerge from Oakmont’s crucible with a chance to lift the trophy.
