17 Jun 2023

Fox slips down leaderboard in Los Angeles

3:19 pm on 17 June 2023
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox.

Ryan Fox shot six bogeys and two birdies at Los Angeles Country Club to trail leader Rickie Fowler by 12 shots. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Auckland golfer Ryan Fox has tumbled down the leaderboard following the second round at the U.S. open in Los Angeles.

After finishing day one tied for 14th, Fox carded a four over 74 to slip to tied for 49th.

Fox shot six bogeys and two birdies at Los Angeles Country Club

to trail leader Rickie Fowler by 12 shots.

Fowler was again on fire and has now shot eighteen birdies and eight bogeys in two rounds.

Xander Schauffele has not been able to keep pace with him today, but finished strongly and will pose a threat as he seeks his maiden major.

World number one Rory McIlroy's six birdies puts him tied for third with Schauffele.

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy produced a sensational run to storm into contention at the US Open. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Teeing off on the 10th, things did not go McIlroy's way in his first nine holes and he was in danger of sliding out of contention with three bogeys and a solitary birdie, but the response was emphatic.

Six birdies followed, four in his last five holes including coming within inches of making a hole-in-one at the par-three ninth, in contrast to his bogey finish in the first round.

"It was a great way to finish the round," McIlroy told NBC after his round.

"A reversal of yesterday, making that bogey at the last, so it was nice to finish the round off properly and put myself right into the mix going into the weekend."

Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick had a hole-in-one while Dustin Johnson hit back from a quadruple bogey on the second to post a 70 and end six under.

-BBC/RNZ