Rory McIlroy narrowly avoided a second straight missed cut with a gritty fightback at the 2025 US Open, while Sam Burns surged to the top of the leaderboard with a sensational second-round 65 at Oakmont Country Club.
The four-time major champion looked to be crashing out early after carding two double bogeys in his opening three holes on Friday, compounding an already difficult opening-round 74. But in classic McIlroy fashion, he clawed back with two birdies in his final four holes, including a nerveless wedge to five feet on the last, securing a spot for the weekend on the six-over cutline.
“I’m not the chaser anymore, I’m the hunted,” McIlroy said earlier this season. But after launching clubs in frustration and declining media interviews for a second day, the pressure is clearly mounting for the Masters champion, who’s now nine strokes behind halfway leader Sam Burns.
Burns took full advantage of calmer morning conditions, firing six birdies and just one bogey to post the round of the day. Now sitting three under, he holds a one-shot edge over JJ Spaun, with Viktor Hovland two back. Scottie Scheffler, chasing a rare back-to-back major win, sits at four over after a one-over 71.
Not everyone survived Oakmont’s brutal setup. Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry, and Phil Mickelson — in his final year of US Open exemption — all missed the cut, with DeChambeau’s erratic 77 marking a particularly stunning early exit.
As thunderstorms delayed play late Friday, 22 players remained within six shots of the lead heading into what promises to be a thrilling weekend. With McIlroy fighting for redemption and Burns eyeing a maiden major, Oakmont is once again proving why it’s among golf’s greatest tests.
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