The struggles continue in Lancaster. The USGA is not letting up. The heat and wind continue. The difficulties persist. Uphill holes. The work suit. Every man for himself.
The second day of the US Open is a continuation of the first. Six rounds under par in the morning shift. The feat of the week is the work of My Hyang Lee (+1) and her round of 67 strokes this Friday. The best round of the week so far. The beast continues to be a beast, but it is fair. If you play well, it rewards you, if you fail, it hits you hard. Ruthless.
The leaders are Minjee Lee (-1) and Yuka Saso (-1), two US Open champions. Two a priori candidates. Surely, the only logical thing in a really strange tournament, even absurd, with some of the best in the world suffering what is not written to drop below 80 strokes.
Minjee and Saso are not just any leaders. They must be taken into account and from now on they are the big favourites to win. However, it is undeniable that a tournament as fierce as the one presented in Lancaster is wide open. A few minutes of disconnection are enough to say goodbye until next year. The bogeys fall in droves and a round of one or two under par is pure gold. It seems impossible that the tournament can be won under par, unless the USGA raises its hand, starts watering the greens as if there were no tomorrow and moves the tees forward. Hopefully not. It would distort what is being a great tournament.
Among those who have finished in the morning, the third best is the 15-year-old teenager Asterisk Talley (+1). Our respects to the young girl. It will be the unconsciousness of her age, but she assures that her only secret is to go for each flag. Perhaps that’s why she already has five birdies in her account, although today she has lowered the piston in terms of aggressiveness. No one is going to take away from her the weekend of her first US Open even in the top 5 of the tournament. A barbarity.
Carlota Ciganda (+5) has secured the cut with a round of 73 strokes. She has suffered a lot, but she will be there for the weekend and that is synonymous with anything can happen. No one can rule out right now that she won’t win on Sunday with a total of +2 or +3. Is that result out of reach for the Navarrese? Obviously, no. It’s difficult, sure, but not impossible.
The best thing about Carlota is her resilience. Today she has taken seven streets and twelve greens, but she has managed to avoid the big mistakes. Between the two days, she has made a single double bogey. Excellent balance in such tough conditions.
