Three South Africans made the cut at the US Open, while six others missed out at Pebble Beach with the line set at two-over par 144, writes GARY LEMKE.
Louis Oosthuizen had his eye more on the top of the leaderboard than the cut line after a second-round 70 left him on 136 and alone in third spot, three shots behind halfway leader Gary Woodland, while Erik van Rooyen required a birdie on the par-five 18th to come in on the line at 144, following a two-over 73 to add to his opening 71. The only way is up for Van Rooyen this weekend as he again showed that he belongs on the big stage.
Justin Walters, too, showed character, needing to birdie either No 17 or No 18 to be around for the weekend and he took his chance on the short 17th to fire a second successive 72.
However, the six other South Africans in the field weren’t as fortunate.
Branden Grace will be ruing the double-bogey seven he took on No 14 as he rebounded from an opening 75 with a level-par 71 to leave himself two shots south of the cut line on 146, a score matched by both Justin Harding and the amateur Jovan Rebula.
Harding had one birdie and three bogeys for a second successive 73, while Rebula, who had opened with an impressive 70, dropped too many shots through holes 10-18, making bogeys at the difficult Nos 10 and 11 and a double-bogey at No 16, before clawing one back on No 18 but an inward 39 left him on 76 and also on 146 and two shots off the cut line.
Dean Burmester had made seven bogeys in an opening-round 76 and although he recovered well on Friday with a 71 that included three birdies along with one bogey and a double-bogey, his tournament also will go no further after a 36-hole total of 147.
Two-time US Open champion Ernie Els also fell on the wrong side of the cut line, adding a 73 to his opening 75 for 148 and missing out by four strokes. The 49-year-old birdied Nos 2 and 15 but dropped shots at Nos 3, 11, 13 and 18.
Merrick Bremner, in his first Major, had a second consecutive 79 for a combined score of 158 and his card included double-bogeys at both No 9 and No 18.
So, with 36 holes remaining and all to play for, the South African flag will be flown at Pebble Beach by Oosthuizen, Van Rooyen and Walters this weekend.
