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Marc Leishman is the best placed of the Australian contingent at one-over par for the tournament after a challenging second day of the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Victorian wrestled back some momentum late in the day to shoot a one-over 71 and sit six shots back from American leaders Collin Morikawa and Joel Dahmen.
An outstanding approach shot on the par-4 17th was the highlight of Leishman’s day. With 104 yards to the front of the green, the 38-year-old landed it at the very top of the green and spun it back viciously down the slope to within tap in range for birdie.
That shot led to one of his two birdies for the round – the other came at the par-4 fifth.
Fellow Victorian Todd Sinnott was the story of the day from an Australian perspective.
Sinnott, playing in his first major having qualified in Japan, is one shot back from Leishman after shooting back-to-back rounds of 71.
The TPS Victoria champion is a known long bomber by those who have watched him throughout his injury-riddled career and he took a liking to the longest holes on the course as he made an eagle and a birdie at the only two par-5s.
Sinnott’s eagle at the eighth was a work of art as he crunched his drive 346 yards to leave 196 yards to the pin. He put his second shot to 11 yards from the hole and he duly rolled it in for a three.
Adam Scott sits alongside Sinnott at two-over after he slipped back on Friday.
Beginning the day at one-under, Scott held steady on the back nine – he teed off from the tenth – to reach the turn at even-par, but things unravelled from there for the 2013 Masters champion.
A double bogey at the par-3 second where he got stuck in the rough to the left of the green was a big setback, but he looked to have turned the tide quickly with a birdie at the fourth.
Two bogeys in his closing three holes proved to be the most costly blows however.
Min Woo Lee is the only other Australian to have progressed to the weekend.
The West Australian produced a second round even-par 70 to stay at three-over and like fellow big hitter Sinnott, his day was highlighted by an eagle at the eighth.
Lee launched his drive 350 yards down the fairway before placing his second shot to 15 feet 10 inches from the hole and from there he had no problems with the putt.
World number six Cameron Smith had a day to forget shooting a 74, as did Lucas Herbert who shot 79, meanwhile PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Jed Morgan finished his major debut with a 74.
US Open Round 2 scores
