OAKMONT: Outsiders Andrew Landry and Gregory Bourdy were hanging tough at the US Open on Saturday as the second major of the year headed into the third round.
France's Bourdy, a four-time winner on the European Tour who missed the cut in his only prior US Open appearance, briefly surged to the top of the leaderboard after back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 on the heels of an eagle at the 11th, where he holed out from 137 yards in the fairway.
He was in sight of a major record-equalling round of 63 before a bogey at 16 was followed by a double bogey at 18 courtesy of a botched chip.
"It is golf," said Bourdy, whose three-under 67 put him in a tie for third on two-under 138, two strokes off the lead of Dustin Johnson with the third round looming later Saturday.
The 34-year-old from Bordeaux looked right at home on the imposing Oakmont course, reckoned by many to be the toughest test in America.
"I really love the difficulty of this course," Bourdy said. "I can play some great tee shots, good irons. And today, I holed some putts as well. At the end it was a very good day on a very difficult course."
Landry, the unlikely leader after the weather-hit first round ended Friday morning, managed to turn around what looked like a dismal day.
He dropped four shots in three holes, plunging down the leaderboard with bogeys at six and seven followed by a double bogey at the par-three eighth, playing at an imposing 281 yards in the second round.
But Landry, playing in his first US Open and ranked 624th in the world, regrouped, and his birdie-birdie finish capped a one-over 71 that left him alone in second on three-under.
"I hit some really good shots there coming in," the 28-year-old Texan said. "The green speeds have really cranked up a little bit. They're definitely getting faster. Balls are starting to release a little bit. So I'm looking forward to this afternoon, see how everything's going to react."
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