Reed adopted his first spherical 66 with a 70 for 136 — four-under-par total — one away from fellow American Bryson DeChambeau, who posted a superb second spherical 68, one in all solely three gamers to interrupt par in Friday’s second spherical.
First spherical chief Justin Thomas recovered from a poor begin to lie one additional shot again in a three-way tie for third, however his enjoying associate Woods struggled to a seven-over-par 77 to overlook the weekend play.
Like many others, Woods owed his excessive rating to his failure to search out the golf green off the tee, with the unforgiving tough at Winged Foot taking its toll.
“It is irritating that I am not going to be right here for the weekend and be capable to compete for this nice championship,” he mentioned.
“It looks like the best way the golf course is altering, is popping, that anyone who makes the lower has the chance to win this championship. I did not get myself that chance.”
After the comparatively simpler scoring situations of the primary spherical, scores soared in strengthening winds and by the top of the day solely six gamers have been beneath par within the second main of the coronavirus-interrupted season.
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello and US participant Harris English have been tied with Thomas at two-under, with Jason Kokrak additionally in pink figures at one-under-par.
2018 Masters champion Reed reveled within the testing situations and is relishing the weekend play as he bids for a second main title.
“You knew at the moment was going to be brutal,” Reed mentioned. “I like getting in there. I like when it is onerous, when it’s a must to be artistic on all completely different golf pictures.”
Large-hitting DeChambeau, who notably added muscle bulk in the course of the lockdown, had set the clubhouse goal from the sooner starters and with situations getting trickier plenty of massive names fell away.
Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy, two off the tempo in a single day, opened with a birdie however adopted with seven bogeys and a double bogey on his method to a 76, partially redeemed by improved play on the again 9.
McIlroy is in a bunch on three-over-par which incorporates world primary and FedEx Cup champion Dustin Johnson, who salvaged his US Open hopes with an earlier level-par 70.
However not for the primary time the Winged Foot course, located northeast of NY city, was the true winner with a bunch of huge identify casualties.
It was so close to however to date for Mickelson then as he looked for the one main to elude him, however though he improved with a 74 he was by no means going to get well from a gap 79 within the 2020 version.
“I benefit from the problem this course supplies,” Mickelson mentioned. “I am dissatisfied I did not play higher.”
