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McIlroy rues poor finish as Woodland builds halfway lead at US Open

American Gary Woodland has a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of golf's US Open. He shot a join...
Will O'Callaghan
Will O'Callaghan

11.13 15 Jun 2019


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McIlroy rues poor finish as Wo...

McIlroy rues poor finish as Woodland builds halfway lead at US Open

Will O'Callaghan
Will O'Callaghan

11.13 15 Jun 2019


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American Gary Woodland has a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of golf's US Open.

He shot a joint course record 65 at Pebble Beach last night to move to nine-under-par.

Justin Rose leads the chase at seven-under with former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen on six-under.

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Ireland's Rory McIlroy is four shots off the lead and the world number three was made to rue a sloppy end to his round.

"It was very important to do all that hard work over the first 12 holes, and then to lose it in -- in two holes in 13 and 14 was disappointing. You know, 13 was - I wasn't disciplined enough with my second shot. I was trying to hit something into that back right corner of the green when I've really been preaching middle of the greens all week.

"I was feeling good about myself, 6-under par, and felt like I could squeeze a couple more out of the round, the last couple of holes and maybe get the lead going into the weekend. I bogeyed that, which is fine, you're going to make some bogeys around here.

"But it was just the wedge shot on 14. I hit a club that I knew could pitch pin-high, but probably not very much further than pin-high, and then anything right of that pin, pitching there is going to come off the green.

"I bounced back well. I didn't hit a great tee shot off 15, but the bunker shot, the fairway bunker shot sort of turned everything around. It was nice to see a shot like that and roll the putt for birdie. And then it was sort of a bonus holing from the back of 16, as well.

"I said to myself going into the 14th I want to get those shots back that I just lost, I want to get back to 3-under par. 15, 16, there are short irons in your hand, and you've got the 18th, as well. I didn't quite get those three shots back, but 2-under for the last four after what happened, very pleased with. Really happy with my position going into the weekend."

Defending champion Brooks Koepka, who is trying to win the U-S Open for a third successive year, is a shot further back at four-under.

Graeme McDowell is three-under after a second-round 70 while Shane Lowry made the weekend at two-over-par.

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