Tony Finau was leaking oil in his quest to make the cut at the 125th U.S. Open.
The Lehi resident and Salt Lake City native bogeyed three straight holes — 6, 7 and 8, having started his second round Friday on the No. 10 tee — and was in serious danger of not being able to play on the weekend at Oakmont Country Club on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.
But Finau recovered nicely, saving par on the 465-yar par-4 9th hole, the fourth-most difficult hole on the course, with a 5-foot putt to shoot an even-par 70.
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Finau is at +6 and tied for 45th heading into Saturday’s third round.
With the cut coming at +7, the other golfers in the 156-player field with Utah ties saw their tournaments come to an end.
Former BYU golfer Zac Blair was in striking distance of making the cut after shooting a 74 on Thursday, but he shot 77 Friday and is heading back home to Orem, assuming he doesn’t stay in the East and visit The Tree Farm, a course he designed in South Carolina.
Former Farmington resident Preston Summerhays, who just turned pro after finishing a spectacular college career at Arizona State, shot an 80 on Friday and tumbled farther down the leaderboard.
Sam Burns leads the tournament at -3 after carding a 65 on Friday, the best single-round score of the tournament to date.
Only three players are under par midway through the national championship. First-round leader J.J. Spaun added a 72 to the 66 he shot in Round 1 and is alone in second place. Viktor Hovland is in third place at -1, having shot a 68 on Friday.
Finau has made the cut in two straight majors, having tied for 19th place at the PGA Championship last month at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.
He’s made the cut in three straight U.S. Opens and six of 10.
Other notables at +6 are Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
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