Rahm experiences setbacks in day two of US Open, with Oakmont proving challenging
Let's Talk Golf: Rahm's Bumpy Ride at the US Open
Yo, here's the lowdown on Jon Rahm's second day at the US Open. The guy's a Spanish stud, the only Spanish player to win the US Open, remember when he nailed it in 2021? Well, this time at Oakmont, things weren't quite as smooth sailing.
Oakmont, the course that's been tougher than a Navy SEAL workout, took a chunk out of Rahm's game. Despite not totally blowing it, he still posted a +5 for the day. His putting was his Achilles' heel, with missed putts here, missed putts there. You know the drill. He even stumbled on the 11th with a double-bogey. The man started with a bogey on the 1st, picked up a few more on the 8th and 9th, then fought back with birdie chances, only to see them slip away.
But it ain't all bad news. Rahm made a birdie on the 12th, and while the ball decided to be a pain in the butt from then on, he still showed some fighting spirit. On the final hole, he got a little hang-up in his tee shot. But he saved himself with a bogey. After shooting a -1 on Thursday, only ten players were under par in the opening round. Now Rahm finds himself at +4, seven shots behind the leader, gearing up for Saturday.
Just as Rahm was wrapping up, American JJ Spaun was trying to defend his lead at -4, but he fell short, ending up one shot behind the new leader, fellow American Sam Burns. Burns rocketed to the top with a round of 65, -3 in total. Norwegian Viktor Hovland is the third and only other player under par (-1) after 36 holes.
The world number one, Scottie Scheffler, also took a dive and, despite trying his damnedest to stay in the game, finds himself tied with Rahm (+4). That's a pretty drastic change of pace compared to when they battled it out for the PGA Championship title a month back. Both Rahm and Scheffler, who made his major debut at Oakmont in 2016, are still expected to make some noise at the weekend.
Scheffler put up a 71-stroke performance, improving on Thursday's score. He's got the experience at Oakmont now, and he's looking to assert his dominance like he did in his last four tournaments. The cut claim the other Spanish player in the field, José María Ballester, who was making his professional debut. Meanwhile, the world number two, Rory McIlroy (+6), made it through with two birdies in the last four holes.
Now, here's an interesting nugget for ya. Sam Burns? He's no slouch either. In the 2025 US Open, he led the pack after two rounds with a score of 5-under 65 at Oakmont Country Club[2]. But for details about his performance in the 2022 US Open, you'd need to check out specific reports or coverage from the event. Word on the street is, he's got some serious skills, and we're excited to see where he takes it!
Jon Rahm, despite grappling with his putting and encountering a few setbacks, managed to make a birdie in the round. Meanwhile, Sam Burns, known for his impressive golf skills, is leading the tournament with a score of -3 after 36 holes.
