Rickie Fowler leads after round two of the 2023 United States Open

Rickie Fowler (PG Jansson, Wikimedia Commons)

We are now at the halfway point of the 2023 United States Open from the Los Angeles Country Club in southern California. On Friday in round two, it was actually a bizarre performance by co-first round leader Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, California. Fowler had eight birdies, six bogeys and only four pars. Yet, it is only Fowler who is the leader after 36 holes, as he is the only player in double digits under par at -10.

In the second round, Fowler birdied the first, second, third, sixth, eighth, 12th, 15th, and 17th holes, and bogeyed the fourth, seventh, 10th, 11th, 13th, and 16th holes. Fowler currently has a one-stroke lead on fellow American Wyndham Clark of Denver, Colorado, who is at -9. Clark already has a victory on the PGA Tour in 2023 as he was victorious at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship.

Three more golfers are in contention. United States Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele of San Diego and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy of Holywood, Northern Ireland are both at -8. Schauffele won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, while McIlroy’s four major titles came at the 2011 United States Open, 2012 and 2014 PGA Championship, and the 2014 British Open.

The other golfer in contention is American Harris English of Valdosta, Georgia. English is all alone at -7 and three strokes back of Fowler. English’s most notable shot came on the fifth hole as he made a 79-foot putt. That was seven feet further than the 72-foot winning-playoff putt by Canadian Nick Taylor of Winnipeg, Manitoba on Sunday at the Royal Bank of Canada Canadian Open in Toronto. 

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