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OAKMONT, Pa. — As Phil Mickelson, aka Lefty, aka Phil the Thrill, aka FIGJAM, aka one of the two most famous golfers of the 21st century, teed off Thursday in what might be his final U.S. Open, there were more security guards than journalists following him. And there were two security guards.

The 2025 U.S. Open has not gone according to plan for Scottie Scheffler. The world's top-ranked player, who came in as the heavy favorite to win his second straight major championship, sits firmly inside the cut line but a ways off contention through 36 holes.

Scottie Scheffler kept coming back to the same answer when asked in different ways how a day that began with optimism at the U.S. Open turned into a 5 1/2-hour slog that left him well off the front page of the leaderboard.

Pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler headed out early in the U.S. Open second round on Friday hoping to play his way into contention at Oakmont Country Club, where overnight leader J.J. Spaun was scheduled to go out with the late starters.

Scottie Scheffler battled his way to a 1-over 71 at the U.S. Open. That was a slight improvement on his first-round 73 but still not the type of performance that’s made him the game’s dominant player the past three years.