Jarrod Lyle loses vision in new mystery illness

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — The storms dodged Brookline and the stars began to emerge Friday in the U.S. Open. Collin Morikawa showed signs of emerging from pedestrian play at just the right time, matching the low score of the championship with a 4-under 66 for a share of the 36-hole lead with Joel Dahmen and a shot at a third straight year winning a major. He had plenty of company at The Country Club, one player in clear view. Defending champion Jon Rahm played with Morikawa and did his best to keep pace with an eagle and a series of big par putts that felt just as valuable. Rahm had a 67 and was one shot behind in a group that included Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, coming of a win at the Canadian Open, was never more entertaining. He was two holes into his round when an errant approach landed in waist-high fescue. He took a hack. And then another. The third try finally found the green, and he holed a 25-foot putt to salvage a double bogey. McIlroy hit his stride on the back nine with three birdies over his last four holes for a 69. Not to be overlooked was Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who chipped in from thick rough short of the par-5 14th green for an eagle that brought the Texan back into the mix with a 67. He was two shots behind. “It’s the U.S. Open. No one has taken it deep so far and kind of run away,” Morikawa said. “The last few days is a huge confidence booster for me heading into this weekend, and hopefully we can kind of make some separation somehow.” Morikawa, Rahm and Scheffler have combined to win four of the last nine majors. And then there’s McIlroy, who has four majors by himself, but none since 2014. “I think it’s great for the game of golf that the highest ranked players and the best players are up there, especially in the tournament where truly the best player ends up winning,” Rahm said. The idea of the U.S. Open is to identify the best players. Some of them require some introductions to major championship contention on the weekend. Start with Dahmen, the cancer survivor and everyman who will never be accused of taking himself too seriously, even if he takes his game seriously. He thought about withdrawing from the 36-hole qualifier twice last week, before it started and after the first round. But he stuck it out, and with a 68 on Friday, plays in the final group of a major for the first time. He joined Morikawa at 5-under 135. The group one shot behind includes Hayden Buckley, who actually studied while at Missouri because he never thought playing golf for a living was going to work out. He wasn’t in the U.S. Open until making a 20-foot birdie putt in a playoff for the last spot in his qualifier 11 days ago. He was fading, like so many others, with three bogeys during a five-hole stretch around the turn when he got back on track. Birdies on the last two holes gave him another 68. Also at 136 were Aaron Wise, with one PGA Tour victory and nothing better than a tie for 17th in his nine previous majors; and Beau Hossler, who featured on the weekend at Olympic Club as a teenage amateur in 2012 but hasn’t been heard of since then in the majors. They were examples that the U.S. Open being open to all doesn’t just stop with qualifying for the right to play the toughest test in golf. Signs posted warned of the potential for bad weather as the wind started to shake trees late in the morning. The clouds dispersed and the wind died late in the afternoon, allowing for better scores and a few less mistakes. McIlroy never panicked after his double bogey. He took advantage of the birdie chances on the drivable par-4 fifth and the short par-5 eighth. And he finished strong to get right in the mix, his main goal going into the weekend. Adding to the anticipation for McIlroy was seeing so many familiar names at the top. “You want to go up against the best to try to bring the best out of yourself,” McIlroy said. “And to see Collin and Jon and Scottie and Sam (Burns) up there and whoever else, that’s what major championship golf is all about. That’s what competition is all about. “And that’s at the heart of this game. I’m excited to be in that mix going into the weekend.”

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THE OVERVIEW By Ben Everill, PGATOUR.COM This guy has been one to watch on the golf course since he was in diapers. It has seemingly been a long time coming, but finally Uihlein gets to ply his trade full time in his native USA and we all get to see first-hand the obvious talent he possesses. The son of Titleist CEO/President Wally Uihlein, golf has been in Peter’s blood from day one and he was always expected to find his place on the PGA TOUR – particularly after claiming the U.S. Amateur in 2010 on his 21st birthday. Instead, his path went through Europe after he won the Madeira Island Open in early 2013 and gained exemption on the European Tour. TOP 30 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2018: We’ll countdown our list with one new player each day in December. Click here for the published players. MORE: Top 30 explanation and schedule His efforts to get back to the States had gone unrewarded until last season where he gained enough non-member points to qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals and then he claimed the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Open.  As such we get to see him here and already, with two top-10s this season, he is set up to be a rising star to watch. Of course, there is no guarantee his game will translate as well as hoped back in the USA, but don’t be surprised if Uihlein runs a similar path to success like that of U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. The grounding one gets playing in countless different places in the world can certainly come in handy in pressure situations down the track.  Click here to follow Ben on Twitter FEDEXCUP 2017-18 position: 40 Playoff appearances: None (first season at PGA TOUR member) Best result: N/A BY THE NUMBERS INSIGHTS FROM OUR INSIDERS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Peter Uihlein in 2018. TOUR INSIDER by Cameron Morfit No more cortisone shots for Uihlein, who has been on a roll since his return to competition in October, 2016, after undergoing surgery on his left wrist. With his new coach Justin Parsons, who runs the Dubai branch of Butch Harmon’s golf school, Uihlein has developed a reliable power fade that helps him eliminate the left-side miss. He doesn’t lack for practice-round competition in Jupiter, Florida, but in keeping with his early professional career, he has said he aspires to be a global player. Click here to follow Cameron on Twitter FANTASY INSIDER by Rob Bolton Drawing a comparison to a major champion like Brooks Koepka is daunting, but it’s not unwarranted. In fact, Uihlein is exactly where he was expected to be right now. After battling injuries well into 2016, it would have been disappointing if he didn’t parlay good health and his raw talent into status for 2017-18. With a top-20 finish in the Race to Dubai, he’s now exempt into the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship and The Open Championship. With those bonuses banked and more coming, he’s sure to give Rookie of the Year front-runner Austin Cook a steady challenge for the honor. But most of all, the 28-year-old Uihlein has arrived as a reliable source of firepower and promise in every format. Click here to follow Rob on Twitter EQUIPMENT INSIDER by Jonathan Wall What separates Uihlein from most of his TOUR brethren is that he rarely carries a fairway wood. Instead, he transitions from a Titleist 917D2 driver into a 716 T-MB 2-iron he routinely carries 260 yards. Wedge setup features four Vokey SM6’s, including a 46-degree pitching wedge. Newport 2.5 putter offers 3/4 shaft of offset, allowing the topline to sidle up next to the ball for a simpler view at address.  Click here to follow Jonathan on Twitter STYLE INSIDER by Greg Monteforte Uihlein proves that classic doesn’t have to be boring. Look for him to continue to add color and texture to his looks in 2018 with bold checks, fine micro prints, and stylish jacquards in dark reds and brilliant blues. Click here to follow Greg on Twitter

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