PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – The major championship spotlight can only shine so bright at Pebble Beach, so here’s a look at some players who are flying under the radar but have a chance to win through 36 holes at the U.S. Open.
· Aaron Wise (5 under)
The 2016 NCAA individual champ made a statement on Thursday at Pebble Beach, carding a 5-under 66 to vault near the top of the leaderboard, and he stayed there on Friday thanks to an even-par 71.
“Since I was a kid I’ve kind of always been grown up and always been pretty flat demeanor, don’t let things get to me. I feel that’s one of the best things that suits me around U.S. Opens and majors and stuff.”
· Matt Kuchar (4 under)
Kuchar’s controversial season is also proving to be one of his most successful. After the Caddiegate fallout from his win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic lingered into the new year, Kuchar also won the Sony Open in Hawaii and finished T-12 at the Masters and T-8 at the PGA Championship. And now he has another chance to get that elusive first major title at Pebble Beach after carding his second straight 69.
“I had a little blip on the 10th hole with a double bogey. You do your best at U.S. Opens to avoid those. It’s tough to go a tournament without getting one. I’m hoping I got one out of the way.”
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· Chez Reavie (4 under)
The 37-year-old Tour veteran finished T-14 at last month’s PGA Championship, and he’s riding the major momentum here at Pebble Beach, carding rounds of 68-70 over his first two rounds to sit well within striking distance of the lead.
“You can’t win the golf tournament on the first hole. You have to hang in there and stay patient.”
· Chesson Hadley (4 under)
Hadley doesn’t have a PGA Tour win since the 2014 Puerto Rico Open, but it hasn’t looked that way so far at Pebble Beach. The Tour’s Rookie of the Year in ’14 has put rounds of 68 and 70 on the board so far at the U.S. Open, and he looks poised to finish better than his best-ever career major finish, a T-61 at the 2015 PGA Championship.
“It was a very typical Chesson Hadley round: six birdies, a double, and three bogeys. That’s kind of how I play golf. So I just hung in there and just grinded it out.”
· Henrik Stenson (3 under)
Stenson’s only win since his lone major victory at the 2016 Open Championship is the Wyndham Championship, and he’s fallen all the way to 43rd in the Official World Golf Ranking in the process. But he’s only a handful of shots off the lead this week at Pebble Beach after carding a 68-71 across his first two rounds.
“Yeah, position-wise, we’re obviously fairly happy with that. I don’t feel like I’m playing great, even though yesterday I hit some good iron shots. But overall I don’t feel like we’re quite where we want to be form-wise. Given that, I feel like I’ve done pretty well these two days with the game I’ve had to be in red figures.”
· Adam Scott (3 under)
After struggling through much of the last few years, Adam Scott has gotten back on track this season, finishing T-18 and T-8 in his last two major starts. The 38-year-old has a chance to keep the major hot streak alive at the U.S. Open after going 70-69 in his first two rounds at Pebble Beach.
“It’s so beautiful. It’s - to play golf it’s one of the most spectacular areas. But I think it’s as spectacular as anywhere. It’s a golfer’s heaven.”