US Open 2014: Martin Kaymer shoots second successive 65 and leads field by six
Saturday 14 June 2014 12:42, UK
Martin Kaymer matched the largest halfway lead in US Open history after a second straight 65 at Pinehurst No 2.
The German former world No 1 is six shots clear of the field on 10-under-par and looks to be strolling towards his second major title.
The largest 36-hole lead at the US Open is six shots, set by Tiger Woods in 2000 and matched by Rory McIlroy three years ago. Both went on to win the championship by large margins.
Kaymer's opening 65 included six birdies and a single bogey and the 29-year-old was error-free on Friday despite having to contend with some tough pin positions.
Kaymer is six clear of American Brendon Todd, who added a second round 67 to his opening 69 to sit at four under par at the halfway stage of his first major. Todd has already won the Byron Nelson Championship this season.
Kaymer, whose form slumped following a swing change after winning the US PGA Championship in 2010, went 29 tournaments and 18 months without a victory before winning the Players Championship in Florida last month.
He became just the fourth European winner of the Players in 41 years and considers his wire-to-wire victory at Sawgrass as good as a second major title given the strength of the field.
US Open Golf
"In my books I won a second major already," he said. "It's a career goal to win one major. Fortunately, I got that done fairly early in my career (aged 25 in the 2010 US PGA).
He has carried the momentum from Sawgrass to the famous sandhills of North Carolina.
After closing the opening round with three birdies in his last five holes, Kaymer quickly increased his three-shot overnight lead.
Starting on the 10th, he birdied the par-5, then rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 13th, then a 25-footer at the 16th. With two more birdies after the turn, he moved virtually out of sight of his pursuers.
Even when he did make mistakes, Kaymer was able to recover, scrambling with par-saving bunker shots at the sixth and seventh.
Not a done deal
Kaymer is well clear of his pursuers but he is taking nothing for granted heading into the weekend.
"It's not a done deal," he insisted. "You don't approach Saturday and Sunday in a relaxed way.
"There's never a time where you can relax. Unless it's Sunday afternoon and you're raising the trophy, then you can relax. Until then, you've got to keep playing."
World No 1 Adam Scott rebounded from a disappointing start to shoot 67 but is still 10 shots behind heading into the weekend.
"It's great golf for Martin," Scott said. "When you're playing like that, you want to just keep it going. For him to come out today and back it up is super. If he does it for two more days, then we're all playing for second spot.
"I needed a good one today," said Scott. "I probably got the better end of the draw on the first two days, coming out early today after a bit of soaking rain overnight.
"On that front nine we could fire a little more aggressively at the pins. Hit some good shots and made some putts today. It still felt like hard work, but I'm very happy with the score."
Northern Ireland's Roty McIlroy got it round in 68 to finish on one under and at nine shots back will not feel that a second US Open title is beyond him this weekend.
Open champion Phil Mickelson birdied two of the first four holes to get to two under for the tournament but three-putted six and seven for bogeys.
The rot set in from there and he continued to struggle with the putter, eventually signing for a 73 to finish on three over for the tournament.
Masters champion Bubba Watson, who was well-fancied to add the second leg of the season's Grand Slam this week, could only add a level par 70 to his opening 76 and missed the cut, which eventually fell at five-over, by a single shot.
"I shot even, played well, but needed a couple more," Watson said.
Amongst some of the other big names to miss out on the weekend were Luke Donald (+6), Charl Schwartzel (+6), Jason Dufner (+6) and Lee Westwood (+8).
Meanwhile, Hunter Mahan (+6) missed out after incurring a two-shot penalty for playing partner Jamie Donaldson's ball. The Welshman, who also played the American's, received the same punishment and would eventually sign for a disastrous 81.
