U.S. Open Friday recap: Niemann shoots stellar 65, Hatton in contention

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Joaquin Niemann birdied five of his first six holes in Round 2 at Shinnecock Hills and posted a 5-under 65 to get himself back in the mix at the 126th U.S. Open.

Under any circumstances, that's a round worth talking about. Given what preceded it, it's something else entirely.

"Everything was on," said Niemann, who is T46 and 10 shots off the lead. "Hit great tee shots. I kind of went out with a pretty aggressive mindset. Sometimes, especially in these tournaments, could go the other way, and this time it worked."

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On Thursday night, the Torque GC captain made an 11 on the par-4 sixth hole — his 15th hole of the first round — hitting two tee shots out of bounds before compounding the damage with a club throw that the USGA deemed a two-shot penalty for misconduct. He finished his remaining three holes Friday morning, signed his card, and was informed of the penalty shortly after. He had 37 minutes before he teed off again.

"Yeah, it was hard," Niemann said. "Took me probably 30 minutes to get over it, then two minutes to hit some tee shots, two putts, and then go out."

On the penalty, Niemann was direct and took full ownership.

"I'm not someone that likes to be in that behavior," he said. "I'm the first one to judge myself when I don't behave on the golf course. That was a misbehavior from my part."

He explained that frustration had built over a brutal stretch — two out-of-bounds tee shots, a bad lie, and a late-evening tee time that left his body feeling less than ready. When it all converged, the sand wedge left his hand. He acknowledged initially pushing back when the committee delivered the penalty before ultimately accepting it.

"I wouldn't be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way," he said. "So yeah, I mean, I agree."

What carried him through was the people around him.

"I think with just a good team around me," he said. "Finished the round, I have four or five people on my team around me. I was frustrated. They were trying to get me up. I just tried to do my best."

He did considerably better than that.

HATTON HOT AGAIN AT U.S. OPEN

Legion XIII’s Tyrrell Hatton followed an opening-round 4-over 74 with a 5-under 68 on Friday, highlighted by birdies on 1, 6 and 11. It gives him a chance to contend at the U.S. Open for the second straight year, after a T4 finish at last year's championship.

Hatton has played the best of the 13 LIV Golf players who were in the field to start the week. He is T34 and nine shots off the lead.

JOHNSON FADES LATE

Dustin Johnson entered Friday with a share of second place and all the momentum that came with it. The 4Aces GC captain held his ground through the first 10 holes, turning at even par for the day, before Shinnecock Hills had its say. Johnson struggled over his final eight holes, carding a second-round 77 to fall to 3 over. He made the cut, but the early promise of Thursday evening gave way to a difficult afternoon.

Johnson enters the weekend T46 and 10 shots off the lead.

BIG NAMES MISS CUT

Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, both of whom entered Friday with a chance to contend, missed the cut. Rahm, the Legion XIII captain, followed his opening 2-under 68 with a difficult 8-over 78, leaving him with a 6-over total and missing the cut by two shots. DeChambeau, the Crushers GC captain, shot an even-par 70 in Round 1 but had a 5-over 75 on Friday to miss the cut by one.

SURRATT MAKES CUT IN MAJOR DEBUT

Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt backed up an opening 5-over 75 with a 1-under 69 on Friday, carding four birdies on his round to make the cut on the number — a notable milestone in his first-ever major championship start. He enters the weekend T60 and 11 shots off the lead.

UIHLEIN'S CLUTCH FINISH

RangeGoats Golf Club’s Peter Uihlein needed some magic on the 36th hole of his week to secure his weekend, and he delivered. He rolled in a 10-foot, 7-inch birdie putt on his final hole on Friday to cap an even-par 70 to make the cut on the number. Uihlein, who shot an opening 4-over 74, heads into Saturday T60 and 11 shots off the lead.

Uihlein is tied with Majesticks Golf Club’s Laurie Canter, who shot back-to-back rounds of 2-over 72.

LIV GOLF PLAYERS RD. 2 SCORES

Tyrrell Hatton (T34), 2-under 68 (2-over total)

Dustin Johnson (T46), 7-over 77 (3-over total)

Joaquin Niemann (T46), 5-under 65 (3-over total)

Caleb Surratt (T60), 1-under 69 (4-over total)

Peter Uihlein (T60), even-par 70 (4-over total)

Laurie Canter (T60), 2-over 72 (4-over total)

MISSED CUT

Bryson DeChambeau, 5-over 75 (5-over total)

Cameron Smith, 1-over 71 (6-over total)

Lucas Herbert, 2-over 72 (6-over total)

Carlos Ortiz, 4-over 74 (6-over total)

Jon Rahm, 8-over 78 (6-over total)

David Puig, 2-over 72 (9-over total)

Graeme McDowell, 6-over 76 (12-over total)