Round 2 grades from Pinehurst No. 2
— -- PINEHURST, N.C. -- Martin Kaymer is the class of the 2014 U.S. Open. At 28th in the world ranking, he outplayed all the much higher ranked players on my grading board.
Kaymer appeared to be playing on a course on Friday morning that was very easy and un-U.S. Open-like. But the nearly-3-over-par stroke average for the field revealed a tough, sometimes unforgiving course that makes it easy to grade these great players with nothing but compassion and mercy.
Adam Scott World ranking: No. 1 | Scores: 73-67
The 2013 Masters Champion rebounded on Friday with a 3-under 67 after a 73 in the first round. Scott had four birdies and one bogey. At even par, the Australian is 10 shots back of Kaymer, but two rounds are enough to make a big dent in that lead. In Friday's round, Scott showed that he could complete a solid, under-par round on No. 2, which should give him some confidence heading into the weekend.
Henrik Stenson World ranking: No. 2 | Scores: 69-69
The tall Swede ended his second round with a birdie on three of his last five holes for his second straight 69. In any other year, he might be in the lead at the U.S. Open, but this year he might need to be more aggressive on the weekend if he wants to take his first major championship.
Bubba Watson World ranking: No. 3 | Scores: 76-70
Bubba followed up his first-round 76 with an even-par 70 on Friday, but it wasn't enough to make the 36-hole cut. The two-time Masters champion was doomed in his second round by three bogeys in four holes on his front nine.
Matt Kuchar World ranking: No. 5 | Score: 69-70
Rory McIlroy World ranking: No. 6 | Scores: 71-68
Jason Day World ranking: No. 7 | Scores: 73-68
Sergio Garcia World ranking: No. 8 | Scores: 73-71
Justin Rose World ranking: No. 9 | Scores: 72-69
Jordan Spieth World ranking: No. 10 | Scores: 69-70
Phil Mickelson World ranking: No. 11 | Scores: 70-73
This was Phil's time. It's not his last chance to win a U.S. Open, but at 44 years old in a few days, he doesn't have many realistic opportunities left to complete the career Grand Slam. After starting his second round with a birdie on two of his first three holes, Lefty had five bogeys to end the day with an ugly 3-over 73 that probably ends any realistic hope for him to win this year's championship.
Dustin Johnson World ranking: No. 15 | Scores: 70-69
Johnson had his second straight 69 on Friday to finish at 2-under and 8 shots behind Kaymer. With another solid round on Saturday, Johnson should be able to stay in shouting distance of Kaymer, who could stumble in his third round.
Martin Kaymer World ranking: No. 28 | Scores: 65-65
With two 65s, the 29-year-old German has played near-masterful golf through two rounds. On Friday, Kaymer hit 12 of 14 fairways, 15 of 18 greens and was 3-for-3 in sand saves. It was one of the easiest looking 65s at a U.S. Open that I have ever seen.