Written by: Manvi Singh

 

The transgression from a fog-induced steady Thursday to the thunder that hit the crowd on Friday, a lot has changed in the U.S. Open leaderboard. For starters, with 5 under par 67, Richard Bland takes the lead, only to be tied to the Day 1 star, Russell Henley at 5 under par 70. 

 

 Richard Bland watches his drive on the 12th hole. The Englishman briefly was tied for the lead in Round 2. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

 

Day 2 at Torrey Pines wasn’t anything less than a spin-off that took the leaderboard on an upside-down stroll. Surprisingly enough, Richard Bland took a leap to the top position on the leaderboard as he added 67 to his opening 70 as he finished 5 under par joined in with pro-American golfer Russell Henley, who three-putted his final hole to drop his only shot of the day closing at 5 under par 70.

 

 

In his 28 years of career, Bland won his first European title five weeks ago and the US Open lead is nothing less than the white light glory for him. A person with no mention on Day 1, took the chance against Torrey Pines only to have entered the chat because as per his game, it never looked like he was going to stay in the drafts forever. 

 

 

“The old saying is you get knocked down seven times, you get up eight. I’ve always had that kind of attitude that you just keep going. You never know in this game, you just keep going.” Bland states on his attitude to keep up the game strong with a chase he doesn’t really seek. 

 

 

 Richard Bland plays from a fairway bunker on the seventh hole. The 48-year-old from England posted a 4-under 67 and is the clubhouse leader at 5-under 137. (Chris Keane/USGA)

 

 

As a reminder check, Thursday did close with a few wonderments, like Rory Mcllroy finishing one-under 70- in the dark, Matthew Wolff with his flying eight birdies at one-under 70 and suspended tussle between Henley and Oosthuizen, but Friday came in with a lot more to the full course meal of the Open for the spectating world. 

 

 

As the U.S Open demand a level of discipline, patience and accuracy - Bubba Watson’s climbed to T5 with 3 under par 67 along with his free-wheel and gullibility. “I really didn’t know what I was doing,” Watson, 42, said. “I was just kind of in the flow playing with two great guys, shooting the breeze, making fun of them and stuff, so it really took me out of my element. I didn’t know what they were shooting. They didn’t know what I was doing.” sharing the route with pro-Spaniard, Jon Rahm at 3 under par 70, this is yet another surprising boom to the day. 

 

 

 Bubba Watson's 67 on Friday matched the low round of the morning wave with Richard Bland. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

 

 

Day 1’s tied-maker Louis Oosthuizen staked it to the third position with 4 under par 71 along with the American pro-golfer, Matthew Wolf leaping a spot of top-3 with 4 under par 68. Along with the top5, the few aspirational names to the game have also aced their pace at Torrey. 

 

 

 Louis Oosthuizen returned to Torrey Pines Friday morning to finish off a first-round 67. (Chris Keane/USGA)

 

 

Rising from 96th to a phenomenal T30, Phil Mickelson grows onto the comfort with the field and bags himself the tee for the weekend too with 2 over 69. Along with the reigns of home-born, Xander Schauffele; the US Open defender, Bryson DeChambeau, the World No10 Brooks Koepka and the former World No 1, Justin Thomas. There’s still a lot that lives in the heart of Torrey this year.

 

 

Sadly enough, Viktor Hovland has withdrawn from the 2021 U.S. Open after getting sand in his left eye. He was 25-1 to win coming into the week at Torrey Pines. Hovland was seen by a physician on the course at No 11.

 

 

Who might take the title home is still a long way prediction, hence, live up to the live-action of the game for the next two days, starting Day 3 at 8:00 AM PDT (8:30 PM IST).

 

 Leaderboard on the closing of Day 2. (USGA)