The China Mail - Clark seizes early second-round lead at US Open

A day after Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele shot tournament-record 62s to lead an historically low-scoring first round, LA Country Club bit back.

Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick had the third ace of the week at the par-three 15th, but fireworks were rare on Friday morning.

There were implosions, however, including Dustin Johnson's quadruple bogey at the second hole, where the two-time major champion was in a fairway bunker off the tee and entangled in a barranca on the way to an eight.

Long-hitting Clark, who won his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow last month, steered a relatively steady course with four birdies and a bogey.

His nine-under total of 131 saw him edge in front of Fowler and Schauffele, who were just warming up as he completed his round having regained the solo lead by getting up and down for birdie from a greenside bunker at his penultimate hole, the eighth.

Clark's day also included an impressive birdie from dense rough near a greenside bunker at 14, where he rolled in a 13-foot putt, and a 45-foot birdie putt at 16.

Harris English was his nearest rival in the clubhouse, carding the top round of the morning with a four-under par 66 for 133.

Johnson clawed back from his calamitous second hole with five birdies and a bogey for an even par round that left him where he started on six-under, third in the clubhouse on 134.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, meanwhile was six-under through 15 holes after a roller-coaster of a round that had already included five birdies and four bogeys.

After Thursday produced the lowest ever scoring average in a US Open first round of 71.38, the US Golf Association was expected to try to toughen things up.

USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer vowed organizers wouldn't make it "stupid hard."

"You'll see some things we had planned for Friday anyway and if we get the conditions we're hoping for, I think you'll see a little a little different, a little spicier golf course," he said.

- Much tougher -

The afternoon was shaping up to be just what the USGA had in mind.

The sun was starting to peek through the stubborn clouds as Fowler prepared to tee off, with Schauffele due off two groups behind him, raising the prospect that things would be even tougher for the leaders as the course dried out and firmed up.

"Much tougher," Ireland's Padraig Harrington said of the morning conditions. "They have lengthened the golf course substantially. Firmed the greens up a little.

"I don't know if they have changed the pin positions from what they had intended, but with the longer golf course and the firmer greens, those pins certainly were difficult."

At two-over Harrington was right on the projected cut line. Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, a six-time US Open runner-up who needs only his national championship to complete a career Grand Slam, was right outside it at three-over.

Masters champion Jon Rahm was among the afternoon starters -- hoping to gain ground after a one-over par 71 on Thursday.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile was aiming to build on an opening 67.

L.Kwan--ThChM