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Unfortunately two other South African golfers have failed to make the halfway cut.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout in action during the second round of the US Open on Friday. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Two South African golfers remained in the hunt for US Open golf glory after Friday’s unfinished second round at the brutal Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
Thriston Lawrence, who opened his challenge on Thursday with a stunning 67 to be in second place on his own, was in a tie for sixth, with one hole to play of his second round.
He will complete his round early on Saturday. He is currently at one-over-par, with a hole to play, just four shots back of leader Sam Burns, who registered a brilliant 65 in his second round to be at three-under-par.
He leads by one from JJ Spaun, the first round leader, and two from Viktor Hovland.
Heavy rains drenched Oakmont late in the day on Friday, with 13 golfers yet to finish their second rounds, Lawrence being one of them.
Bezuidenhout still in the mix
South Africa’s top-ranked golfer, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, will also go into the action on Saturday knowing he’s still in with a chance of challenging for the title come Sunday.
He followed up his opening round 72 with a 71 on Friday to be tied for 12th on three-over-par. He’s just six shots back of Burns.
The two other South Africans in the field, Erik van Rooyen and Jacques Kruyswijk, will miss the halfway cut.
Van Rooyen has recorded scores of 75 and 74 to be nine-over-par, two off the cut line, while Kruyswijk followed up his opening 73 with a 77 to be 10-over-par, four off the cut line.
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent will also go home early after registering 75 and 74, for a nine-over-par total.
Several golfers struggled on a difficult day two at the notoriously challenging Oakmont, with casualties including Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas and Justin Rose, who all failed to make the cut.
Rory McIlroy (six-over-par) has snuck in and will hope for a good weekend, and so too Hideki Matsuyama (seven-over), Xander Schauffele (six-over-par), Jordan Spieth (five-over-par), Collin Morikawa (four-over-par), Jon Rahm (four-over-par) and Scottie Scheffler (four-over-par).
