Oakmont Yields More 80s Than 60s In First Two Rounds

With a scoring average of just over five over par through the first two rounds, Oakmont Country Club has proven to be a formidable test for the U.S. Open. But the bigger story might be the sheer number of high scores it has produced.

Breaking 80 is a significant milestone for 90 percent of amateur golfers, but among the pros, it’s hardly a badge of honor. At Oakmont, for every player who broke 70, two failed to break 80.

The most notable name to miss the 70s in both rounds was Justin Lower. Usually consistent at most PGA Tour stops, Lower shot 73-87, a rough two-day total that included two triple bogeys on par 4s in the second round and another in round one. He carded just two birdies across both rounds and had scorecards filled with squares. The rough and bunkers punished his approach shots, and once on the greens, he lost 1.55 and 1.73 strokes to the field in rounds one and two, respectively.

Robert Diaz bounced back from an opening 85 with a much-improved 73 in round two. His first round featured two triple bogeys, including one on hole 9, where he reached the greenside bunker in two but needed five more shots to hole out. Diaz lost nearly three strokes off the tee and another 2.75 strokes to the field in that opening round.

LIV Golf standout and PGA Senior Champion Richard Bland struggled as well, shooting an 82 in round one that included two birdies, three double bogeys, and a triple. His primary issues were off the tee and on approach, where he lost nearly six strokes to the field. His 278-yard average driving distance left him both short and offline compared to the rest of the field.

Matt McCarty also shot an 82, with a card that included one birdie, 10 bogeys, and a triple on a par 5. McCarty is coming off a T-4 finish at the Canadian Open and claimed victory earlier in 2024 at the Black Desert Open in St. George, Utah. But at Oakmont, he lost more than three strokes to the field on the greens in round one alone.

One of the roughest second-round scores came from Matthew Jordan. After a respectable opening 74 that put him mid-pack, he followed it up with an 80 that included two double bogeys and no birdies. The second time around the course usually helps players get a better feel around the greens, but Jordan lost 2.88 strokes putting in round two.