Jason Day aiming to get back to even par over US Open weekend
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 18/06/16 3:21pm
Jason Day is confident he can still be a factor in the US Open over the weekend despite being five-over par at the halfway stage.
Day was clearly out of sorts early on Friday morning as he scrapped his way to an opening 76, but he worked hard on the range in his short break between rounds and started his second round with a birdie at the 10th.
The world No 1 scrambled for pars to keep himself on track to make the weekend, and he completed a hard-fought 69 early on Saturday morning to lie nine shots behind clubhouse leader Dustin Johnson.
"Obviously, the second round was nice, but the first round was terrible," said the Australian. "I felt like I drove it pretty good in the first round and then missed too many greens, especially with short clubs, and a couple three-putts in there as well.
"It was good to come back out this morning and par the last few holes, which are very difficult to do because seven, eight and nine are not easy. The greens are only going to get firmer and faster, and same with the fairways.
Oakmont leaderboard
"I'm hoping that it gets really hot and starts baking everything out and then hopefully plays hard for everyone, and hopefully I can claw my way back into this tournament.
"I'm trying to claw my way back to even par. I think, if I can get back to even par, that I may have a good chance at giving myself a shot at winning. But obviously, there's plenty of golf to be played. It seems like Dustin Johnson is playing some pretty good golf right now.
"It suits his game because he can take some lines that a lot of other guys can't and lay it back when he needs to. He's going to be tough to beat, especially with how he's playing. But 36 more holes, there's so much golf to be played, and I've got to be patient."
Day's playing partners, Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen, are both well placed to challenge over the weekend after excellent second rounds in the tough conditions at Oakmont.
Scott also parred his last three holes to match Day's 69 while Oosthuizen, who had reeled off four straight birdies before darkness suspended play on Friday, picked up his eighth birdie of the round at the ninth to return a stunning 65 which equalled the lowest round of the tournament.
Oosthuizen admitted he felt "uncomfortable" during his opening 75, but he responded in fine style to shave 10 shots off that in his second round.
"I didn't have a great first round. I felt as uncomfortable over the golf ball as I have in a while," said the 2010 Open champion. "I couldn't really find anything on the range, but out on the golf course I found something in my set-up that felt comfortable.
"I started getting my little cut back on my driver and went from there. I built momentum on needing better shots and rolling a few nice putts. I hit a few shots really close and then I had a horrible four-putt on 17 for bogey, which sort of just put all the brakes on.
"But the last seven holes, I think, went five under and just had good stretches of good putts, solid shots, and giving myself opportunities. So, it's a good position. Four behind going into any US Open third round is a good place."
Scott added: "When you play all right on those long days, it's quite good to just keep playing, and I was happy with that yesterday. And I've got to be pretty pleased with three pars on those holes to finish the course. It would have been nice to sneak a birdie in, but that doesn't always happen at US Opens.
"I'm in good shape as long as no one like Westwood does anything crazy, but even if he does, it's going to play harder and harder over the weekend. So if I can just hold my spot here for another day, then I think I'll be in with a shot on Sunday."