Tom McKibbin awaits US Open ‘carnage’ after making last-gasp birdie at Pinehurst as Shane Lowry rues ‘f*****g iron play’

The Newtownabbey star (21) was a shot outside the projected cut line on six-over with four holes to play. But he kept his head and his patience before following a perfect drive with a three-quarter nine-iron to 16 feet at Pinehurst No. 2’s 18th.

“I knew I’d have to birdie one of the last four holes,” McKibbin said. “I didn’t want to push too much and that the 18th was probably the only realistic birdie chance.

“The putt was about a foot outside the right, and it stayed right for a long time before it snapped in at the end.”

His veteran caddie, David McNeilly, celebrated by raising both fists to the sky as his pupil added a 71 to his opening 74 to make it on five-over alongside the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and major champions Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Francesco Molinari, who aced the ninth to survive.

Paul Kimmage at the Open

“I’ve watched this on TV for the last 10-11 years and the carnage of it, so it will be pretty cool to experience that at the weekend,” McKibbin said.

“Yeah, it’s very satisfying, especially the way I did it as well with a birdie at the last. To make the cut in my first go, it’s pretty cool.”

He’s ten strokes behind Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (24), another US Open debutant, who carded a 69 to lead by a shot from 2020 champion Bryson DeChambeau (69), Belgium’s Thomas Detry (67) and American Patrick Cantlay (71) on five-under.

Temperatures soared into the thirties Celsius (around 94F) from midday, but like McKibbin, Aberg is not overawed by leading into the weekend.

“To be able to play these tournaments, to be able to play with the guys that I’ve watched on TV for such a long time is definitely a pinch-me moment, yeah,” he said.

Conditions will only become more demanding as the domed greens dry out over the weekend, but the Swede is ready for the challenge.

“I think I just have to play with a lot of acceptance,” he said. “I have to make sure that it’s not going to be perfect all the time.

“Most likely all players in the field are going to have a struggle at some point during the round, and whenever that shows up, it’s just one of them.”

With 26 of the last 28 US Open champions within three shots of the lead after 36 holes, Rory McIlroy is right where he wants to be.

A two-over 72 left him tied for fifth with Tony Finau and Matthieu Pavon on three-under, just two behind.

“Some of the hole locations were definitely a little tougher,” McIlroy said. “Sort of had to have your wits about you. I putted it off one green there on 17.

“Yeah, overall I felt like I did a pretty good job at keeping some of the mistakes off the scorecard. I wish I had converted a couple more of the chances. “Hit the ball pretty well. I think only missed one fairway. So I had plenty of opportunities.

“Yeah, wasn’t quite as good with the putter today. Still, overall, (I am) in a great position going into the weekend.”

Just 15 players are under par, while the scoring average was down from 73.2 to 72.9; disaster lurks at every turn.

West Waterford’s Séamus Power felt it keenly as he bogeyed his first three holes to slip to the cut line on four-over, then saw his chances of making the weekend dashed by double bogeys at the eighth and 10th as he shot 76 miss out by two strokes on seven-over.

As for Shane Lowry, the Offaly giant was frustrated by his iron play and two bogeys (on the par-three seventh and ninth) in his last three holes.

A 71 was still a brilliant effort considering his confidence is at a low ebb after shooting that horror 85 in the Memorial Tournament last Sunday.

“I played well, drove it well, putted unreal,” Lowry said. “But my f*****g iron play, it’s been the best part of my game all year!”

He added: “This game and this place would just drive you mad. Obviously, if I get a tee time tomorrow, it’ll be early, and the course will be at its most gettable.”

After shooting a blistering 62 in the third round of the PGA Championship last month, he’s hoping for more Saturday fireworks.

“It’s out there, but you have to do everything right and get a bit of luck,” he said.

McKibbin will be thinking the same.

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