Three Canadians find the weekend at U.S. Open as fan-favourite Rickie Fowler leads

Adam Hadwin is just fine after last Sunday and the – less-than-ideal – celebration of countryman Nick Taylor’s RBC Canadian Open victory.

Now he’s hoping he can climb the leaderboard over the weekend at the U.S. Open.

Hadwin, of Abbotsford, B.C., shot a 2-over 72 Friday at the North Course of the Los Angeles Country Club and made the cut on the number. Hadwin led the U.S. Open after 18 holes a year ago and went on to finish tied for seventh, his best career result at a major. In four starts at the U.S. Open, he’s yet to miss the cut.

Still, the Canadian admitted he “limped in” in the second round at LACC (metaphorically, that is), and will have some work to do yet if he wants to match last year’s fine finish.

“I would just like to kind of stay patient and stay in it for 18 holes and not have the three-to-five-hole gaps in the round as if I had never played golf before,” Hadwin said with a smile of what he’s hoping for over the weekend.

Hadwin showed no signs of hurt after Thursday’s even-par start after getting tackled by a security guard last Sunday who mistook him for a fan trying to spray champagne on his long-time friend, Taylor, after he nailed the 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to win at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. The United States Golf Association had a little fun with Hadwin early in the week, leaving a yellow safety vest and two USGA-branded hard hats for him in his locker.

“At the time there was so much adrenaline running through, I don’t think I would feel anything. I’m glad everything worked out. We can have a good laugh about it now,” Hadwin told reporters in L.A. earlier in the week. “Just a big misunderstanding.”

Another video of Hadwin began to make its rounds late Friday, as he threw a club into a bush at LACC late in the day and had to go retrieve it before his round concluded.

“Just didn't swing well today. I just kind of struggled around,” Hadwin said.

Hadwin along with Adam Svensson, of Surrey, B.C., and Mackenzie Hughes, of Dundas, Ont., were the other Canadians to find the weekend at the third major of the year. Svensson is at 1 over while Hughes is even par.

Taylor – still riding high from Sunday’s incredible Canadian Open triumph – finished at 4 over. Corey Conners was inside the cutline before having a tough finish to his day, going bogey-double-double on his final three holes Friday. He was also 4 over after two rounds.

Roger Sloan and Taylor Pendrith were at 5 over through 36 holes.

The cut came at 2 over, while Rickie Fowler leads at 10 under.

Fowler’s two-round effort is the second-lowest score through 36 holes in U.S. Open history. He has made 18 birdies through the first two rounds – the most ever in this championship. While this is Fowler’s 12th 36-hole lead or co-lead on the PGA Tour, he has only one victory out of those 12.

“Being in the lead is nice, but it really means nothing right now,” said Fowler. “I'm looking forward to continuing to challenge myself and go out there and try and execute the best I can.”

Wyndham Clark sits second at 9 under, just one shot back of Fowler, while Rory McIlroy is at 8 under tied for third with Xander Schauffele. McIlroy skipped his scheduled Tuesday press conference at the U.S. Open and did not speak with reporters after an opening 65 Thursday. After a 3-under 67 on Friday he addressed the media for the first time this week.

McIlroy hasn’t won a major since 2014, despite winning basically everything else there is to win on the PGA Tour. He admitted he started thinking about winning this major on Monday when he arrived and is as dialled in as anyone so far this week, sitting first in strokes gained: off the tee, sixth in strokes gained: putting, and seventh in strokes gained: approach.

“No one wants me to win another major more than I do. The desire is obviously there,” said McIlroy, who has shot 30 on the front nine of LACC both days so far this week. “I've been trying, and I've come close over the past nine years or whatever it is, and I keep coming back. I feel like I've showed a lot of resilience in my career, a lot of ups and downs, and I keep coming back.

“And whether that means that I get rewarded or I get punched in the gut or whatever it is, I'll always keep coming back.”

The battle for No.1 in the world continues at the U.S. Open, with the world’s top-ranked golfer, Scottie Scheffler, sitting tied for 8th through two rounds at 5 under. Jon Rahm, No. 2 in the world, is 2 over and made the cut on the number.  

The winner of last month’s PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka, is even par. He made his feelings about LACC known after Friday’s second round.

“I’m not a huge fan of this place,” Koepka said. “I won majors on golf courses that I haven't really liked too much. But, yeah, this one, I don't know […] it's not my favourite.”

Despite that critical feedback, those who are near the top of the leaderboard are enjoying the challenge of LACC. It’s no surprise the stars are out in Hollywood this week. The Canadian contingent that found the weekend will have to fire a low one to move into contention, sure, but one of the game’s most popular players is hoping to notch the biggest win of his career.

“This is why everyone that's teeing it up this week, or guys that try to qualify, this is what we all want to do,” Fowler said. “We play the game because we love it, and we want to compete, and we want to win.”