For a moment at the 2026 U.S. Open, Dustin Johnson appeared set to contend at a major for the first time in years. Then, in a matter of five holes, his second round Friday, June 19, turned into a disaster.
After pulling to within one shot of U.S. Open leader Wyndham Clark with a birdie at No. 10, Johnson completely melted down and went from contention to possibly needing a late push to just make the cut for the weekend.
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The sequence began with a double bogey on the par 3 11th in which he hit his tee shot into a bunker and watched the ensuing bunker shot trickle back into the sand thanks to the tricky greens at Shinnecock Hills. Back-to-back bogeys followed as Johnson’s round began to unravel.
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
The U.S. Open returns to Shinnecock Hills as the field takes on one of golf’s most demanding major championship stages.
See moments from the opening round as players navigate the course and the leaderboard begins to form.
Above, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
1 / 25
Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
The U.S. Open returns to Shinnecock Hills as the field takes on one of golf’s most demanding major championship stages.
See moments from the opening round as players navigate the course and the leaderboard begins to form.
Above, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Scottie Scheffler of the United States reacts after missing a putt on the third green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Amateur Eric Lee of the United States plays a shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Mike Mulholland, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Sam Burns of the United States looks on from the 13th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Andrew Redington, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Alejandro Tosti of Argentina plays a shot on the first hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
James Nicholas of the United States walks off the sixth tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Mike Mulholland, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Amateur Miles Russell of the United States walks to the first green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Brooks Koepka of the United States looks on from the second tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Amateur Hamilton Coleman of the United States plays a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Andrew Redington, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Scottie Scheffler of the United States looks on from the seventh green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Tommy Fleetwood of England lines up a putt on the 13th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Andrew Redington, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Scottie Scheffler of the United States lines up a putt on the first green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 10th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Scottie Scheffler of the United States looks on from the 13th hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Ludvig Åberg of Sweden smiles on the 15th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
J.J. Spaun of the United States and his caddie discuss a shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Peter Uihlein of the United States plays a shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Belgium plays a shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Cliff Hawkins, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Amateur Eric Lee of the United States plays a shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Keith Mitchell of the United States plays a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Rickie Fowler of the United States looks on from the second tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Amateur Jackson Koivun of the United States prepares to play a shot on the third hole during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Cliff Hawkins, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Ben James of the United States plays a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Warren Little, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 18th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Catch the best moments from the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (L) and Tommy Fleetwood of England walk to the 18th tee during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 18, 2026, in Southampton, New York.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
US OPEN CUT LINE TRACKER: Live projected line, big names in danger
This all culminated with a quadruple bogey 8 at the par 4 15th hole after Johnson wound up in another bunker. His adventure began with a bunker shot that rolled from one bunker to another again. His second bunker shot hit the lip and rolled back to the sand. His third attempt at a bunker shot sailed all the way over the green.
It eventually took Johnson six shots to complete the final 61 feet of the hole. By the time he finished No. 15, he had gone from 4-under par for the tournament to 4-over.
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Johnson, who plays with LIV Golf, is 10 years removed from winning the 2016 U.S. Open. He hasn’t finished inside the top-15 of a major since 2023. He did recover on No. 16 with a birdie to perhaps bounce back in time to play the weekend.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dustin Johnson’s US Open unravels with brutal five-hole collapse
