OAKMONT, Pa. — Golf’s Longest Day usually refers to US Open sectional qualifying, when hundreds of hopefuls across the country play 36 holes for the right to advance to the national tournament.
Oakmont Country Club rarely takes a back seat, though, so the venerable layout near Pittsburgh served as the setting for another long day of golf. This time, it was at the 116th US Open, a marathon 13 hours prompted by a trio of weather delays on Thursday, which pushed the first round into Friday.
Everyone has completed the first 18 holes, but not even half the field has finished 36. We’ll need another long day on Saturday — second-round play resumes at 7 a.m. — just to get back on schedule.
Dustin Johnson is right where he wants to be. Johnson made two full loops around Oakmont on a warm, sunny Friday, shooting 67-69 to reach 4 under par, tied for the lead with Andrew Landry, whose work for the day consisted of just 10 feet.
If not for a succession of missed birdie putts from close range, especially in his second round, Johnson could have grabbed the outright lead, so solid was he on Friday from tee to green. Johnson put together a streak of 24 consecutive greens hit in regulation, and went his first 27 holes without a bogey.
He might not be alone in front, but he’s happy.
“Very pleased with how it went today,’’ Johnson said. “It was a long day, but I felt like I played really solid for all 36 holes. I drove it really well. Hit a lot of great iron shots. Felt like I rolled the putter really nicely, too.’’
One of the longest hitters in golf, Johnson used that length to reach three par-5 holes in two shots over his two rounds. All three times, he three-putted for par. He’s yet to birdie a par-5, and had 32 and 33 putts. If his putter gets hot, look out, because nobody is getting as many birdie looks as Johnson.
More rain fell overnight — another half-inch — but the course was ready when play resumed on Friday at 7:30 a.m., even though no spectators were on the property. Because of downed trees and flooding that impacted streets and parking lots used for the tournament, fans weren’t allowed through the gates until after 8.
By then, Landry’s day was done. He slept on a one-shot lead, and faced a 10-foot putt for birdie on his final hole, the par-4 ninth. He rolled it in for 66, the lowest first-round score in any of the nine US Opens at Oakmont. Marking his golf ball after Thursday’s third delay, Landry read the putt and knew the line: right to left, cup and a half. On Friday morning, he went to the practice green — it shares space with the ninth green — and estimates he hit 50 putts of similar length and break.
When it mattered, he made it. “I just pretty much thought about it this morning,’’ Landry said of the only competitive stroke he made Friday. “Thought about it a little bit last night, but I didn’t, like, dream about it.’’
Forget a 10-footer for birdie. Some are dreaming of simply making the cut. Jason Day was 5 over with three holes left to play in his second round, while Phil Mickelson (7 over) likely will need to play his final two holes in 1 under or better to qualify for the final two rounds. Rory McIlroy (77) and Rickie Fowler (76) need to match or break par in their second round.
But many, Landry included, still have the dream of winning here this week. Take Daniel Summerhays, who was added to the field on Monday, an alternate from sectional qualifying. All he did was shoot a back-nine 30 to cap a second-round 65, the low score of the week so far. Summerhays is 1 under, tied for seventh, three shots back.
Or take Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, combining for 142 major championship appearances and zero major titles. They’re both inside the top five, although Garcia (68-70) is through 36 holes, while Westwood (67) embarks on his second round on Saturday morning. Garcia is tied for fourth with Scott Piercy (68-70) and Shane Lowry (68).
Of the top 13 players on the leaderboard, 11 of them (Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk the exceptions) have never won a major, a group that includes Johnson.
He’s been close in the majors with 11 top-10 finishes, but weekend leads have been lost and three-putts have been costly, none more painful or ill-timed than at last year’s US Open. Johnson three-putted the final hole at Chambers Bay and lost by one shot.
“I hit so many good putts today that I thought were going in, and burned the edge or lipped out,’’ Johnson said. “But that’s just how it goes. These greens are tough.’’
Johnson’s long day is over. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked out just fine.
Michael Whitmer can be reached at mwhitmer@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeWhitmer.
