Oakmont Country Club has once again asserted its legendary reputation as a formidable challenge during the first two rounds of its record tenth United States Open Championship. The course, known colloquially as "The Beast" and located in the Pittsburgh suburbs, proved to be an exceptionally difficult test, with only a handful of players managing to remain under par after 36 holes. As Friday's play concluded, Oakmont’s firming conditions, combined with a brutal USGA setup featuring rough exceeding five inches, knee-deep fescue, deep bunkers, blowing wind, and lightning-fast greens, gave even the world's best golfers significant fits. The course boasts 168 bunkers, including the famous Church Pews, which serve as real penalties for wayward shots, making it a true golf torture for many.

Surging to the lead at the midway point of the championship was Sam Burns, who delivered a superb five-under-par 65 in the second round, the lowest score of the event so far. After an opening round of two-over-par 72, Burns, the world's 22nd-ranked player, capitalized on an early tee time Friday with little wind and cloud cover. His magnificent ball striking led to six birdies from inside 10 feet. Burns attributed his strong performance to mental readiness, stating, "I played really well yesterday other than the finishing holes. So I think today was just kind of getting mentally ready to come out and try to put a good round together." Had it not been for a brutal finish on Thursday, where he played the final four holes in five-over par, Burns might have held an even more substantial lead.

Just one shot back of Burns, at two-under-par, is first-round leader JJ Spaun. Playing in his inaugural U.S. Open, Spaun impressed with a bogey-free 66 to seize the initial lead. Despite carding a two-over-par 72 on Friday, he remains firmly in contention heading into "moving day" on Saturday. Spaun articulated the course’s difficulty, noting, "It’s challenging in every sort of aspect or variable in golf. Off the tee, you have to get it in the fairway, or you’re chipping out or hacking something out unless you get a lucky lie. Landing it in specific spots, which you’re only able to do if you’re out of the fairway."

Rounding out the elite group of players still under par after 36 holes is Viktor Hovland, who sits at one-under-par for the tournament. Hovland’s second round 68 was fueled by two remarkable hole-outs from over 50 feet. He began his round on the tenth hole with a 50-plus-foot birdie putt from the collar and later chipped in for eagle on the drivable par-4 17th. Despite a double bogey on the second hole, which he acknowledged could have led to an even lower score, Hovland expressed satisfaction with his position, stating, “Definitely tired, exhausted because you’re just focusing so much on every single shot... But we’re in a really nice spot after two days, so I’m just kind of happy.”

A few other prominent players are within striking distance. Adam Scott, participating in his 96th consecutive major and third U.S. Open at Oakmont, carded a second consecutive even-par 70, placing him at even par and three shots behind Burns. He is joined by Ben Griffin, one of the hottest players on tour, who shot a one-over-par 71 on Friday to also sit at even par. Griffin's journey is particularly notable, as he had previously given up professional golf to work in finance before a friend encouraged him to return.

Even world number one Scottie Scheffler found Oakmont to be a stern test. Visibly frustrated during his round, Scheffler uncharacteristically made five bogeys and struggled off the tee for a second straight day, often finding himself in the penal rough. Despite his ball-striking not meeting his usual high standards, he managed a one-over-par 71 for the round, placing him at four-over-par for the tournament and still within the conversation. Fellow LIV Golf star Jon Rahm, also at four-over-par, expressed significant frustration with Oakmont's greens, taking 35 putts despite hitting the ball brilliantly. "Honestly, too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective," Rahm said. "Very frustrated. Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn’t sniff the hole. So it’s frustrating." Rory McIlroy also displayed frustration, at one point breaking a tee marker, but birdied two of his final four holes to make the cut at six-over-par. He once again declined media requests after his round, marking his sixth consecutive major championship round without speaking to the press.

The unforgiving nature of Oakmont led to a number of high-profile players missing the halfway cut. Defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who had been a fan favorite and performed well in the year's previous majors, struggled with Oakmont's narrow fairways and punishing rough, finishing at ten-over-par and missing the projected seven-over cut line. He carded a seven-over-par 77 in the second round, hampered by three consecutive bogeys late in his front nine. Record six-time U.S. Open runner-up Phil Mickelson, playing in the final year of his five-year exemption, finished eight-over-par, failing in his latest attempt to complete the career Grand Slam. Other notable players to miss the cut included four of the world's top 10 ranked players: Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, and Sepp Straka, alongside Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark, Cameron Smith, Patrick Cantlay, Joaquin Niemann, and former U.S. Open champions Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Dustin Johnson.

The sheer difficulty of the course was highlighted by the experience of Matt Vogt, an Indianapolis dentist and former caddy at Oakmont, who qualified for the championship after shooting a pair of 68s at a course in Walla Walla, Washington. Vogt shot 82 in round one, followed by an 81 on Friday, finishing at 23-over-par for the tournament. Despite the struggle, he reflected, “My goodness, honestly, I came in with such optimism for this golf course... It’s just so, so hard. Your head starts spinning out here, and it just gets away from you. I’d say in the moment, you feel like you get punched in the face, but ultimately, yeah, I’d say it was fun.”

As heavy rains fell at the end of Friday, suspending play for a few groups, 34 players remain within seven shots of leader Sam Burns. With more rain anticipated on Saturday, a softening Oakmont may offer a slightly easier test. However, two-time U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, who made the cut at two-over-par, expects the weekend to become even tougher as the heat dries out the greens and the USGA strategically places hole locations in the most challenging spots. With many players still within striking distance, the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club is poised for a dramatic and compelling weekend of championship golf.