Kaymer, Fowler among big names headed home from US Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. (AP) — Martin Kaymer was in trouble when he arrived at the 10th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open. Then the situation got much worse for the defending champion.

From the middle of the fairway, Kaymer missed his second shot badly to the right, leading to a triple bogey.

Kaymer, who finished at 6 over, was among a handful of big names to miss the cut on Friday. Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler — two potential favorites before the week began — were out of the tournament after Watson finished at 7 over and Fowler at 14 over.

And Tiger Woods was gone as well after forgettable rounds of 80 and 76 and a tie for 150th overall.

“On a golf course like this you get exposed and you have to be precise and dialed in,” Woods said. “And obviously I didn’t have that.”

Another 15 players had their fate resting on Nick Hardy, one of six amateurs to make the cut, the most in 49 years.

Hardy was in the last group on the course and at 4 over heading to his final hole. A par would keep the cut line at 4 over. A bogey would get the additional 15 to the weekend.

Hardy made bogey, moving the cut line to 5 over and giving Jimmie Walker, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Angel Cabrera, Webb Simpson and Colin Montgomerie passage to the third round.

Others were not so lucky. Among the other big names headed home: Hunter Mahan, Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez and local favorites Ryan Moore and Michael Putnam.

Moore and Putnam were hoping to give hometown fans a thrill in the first U.S. Open played in the Pacific Northwest.

“It’s obviously great to have it here. I’m disappointed with how I played,” Moore said. “I would be lying if I said I felt great coming into this week. I tried getting out there, getting a lot of time on the golf course, getting comfortable with it. This course does not set up all that well for me.”

The six amateurs to make the cut were the most since 1966. Brian Campbell, nearly the last one on the course during Thursday’s first round when he shot 67, led the pack at 1 under through 36 holes after a 72 in the second round.

By the end of the day, Campbell was on the first page of the leaderboard and tied for 12th. At one point early Friday, Campbell’s name was among those at the top of the leaderboard when he got to 5 under.

“I walked underneath the big leaderboard and I saw my name up there, so that was pretty cool to at least have that today,” Campbell said. “I definitely want a little more of that.”

Jack Maguire, who just finished his sophomore season at Florida State, had one of the 18 under-par rounds on Friday with a 68 and sits at 1 over.

The other amateurs sticking around for the weekend: Hardy, Ollie Schniederjans, Beau Hossler and Denny McCarthy. For Hossler, at age 20, it’s his second time making the cut.

“Obviously it’s nice making it here, but I’m trying to contend. That’s the goal,” Hossler said. “Obviously I’ve proven to myself that I can qualify for the event, but I think it’s time I start making a move toward the lead a little bit.”

While the amateurs could enjoy their success, the professionals were left dazed. Fowler wasn’t much better than Woods, following his 81 in the first round with a 73.

They weren’t alone in posting big numbers. There were 10 rounds in the 80s on Friday.

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