Adam Scott left reporters laughing with his Queensland dry sense of humour on Friday night at Oakmont Country Club.
US Open 2025: Rory McIlroy scrambled to make cut and still looks completely out of sorts
Soon to turn 45, Scott is playing a remarkable 96th consecutive major start going back to the 2001 British Open. With one major win to his name – and an epic one at that at the 2013 Masters – Scott was modest when asked by media, How would you describe your window to win one of these?
“Ajar,” he said as reporters chuckled.
Truth is, a gutsy, hard-fought second consecutive round of even-par 70 left the former world No.1 well in US Open contention through 36 holes at Oakmont Country Club. The 2025 US Open, at least, is more than ajar for Scott. It’s wide open.
“Yeah, look, not to put down anything else, but this is really where my mind goes at the start of every year and what I think about is — of course I’d like to win lots more tournaments, any of them, to be perfectly honest,” Scott said. “I’d like to win something. But I have a nice — put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it’s all said and done. This is all I’m really playing for are these big events. There’s probably eight of them off the top of my mind a year that I really want to win.”
RELATED: US Open 2025: Watch Patrick Reed make Oakmont history with this incredible ALBATROSS
After an opening 70 at the brutally difficult Pittsburgh area golf course, the former Masters winner was heading south when he made a birdie and two bogeys on day two to make the turn at one-over-par. But birdies at the par-4 10th and 14th softened the blow of a bogey at the par-3 13th. Scott then drained a 14-foot par putt at the 17th to remain even with he card. A par on 18 put Scott just three shots off the lead at the halfway mark of what is Scott’s 96th consecutive major appearance
“I guess I would have expected to be in this position if you said even par through two rounds,” Scott said. “It’s just hard out there. It’s hard to keep it going when guys have got on a run. It seems like they’ve come back a bit. I’m playing old-man-par golf at the moment. How? For most of the first two days, I’ve been in the fairway off the tee, and therefore there hasn’t been too much stress in the rounds. I think I’ve played well off the tee, and the rest of the game has been okay from there.”
RELATED: Cam Smith explains how he pulled off one of Oakmont’s most impossible shots
Scott was T-18 at the 2016 US Open at Oakmont and also played the 2007 edition in Pittsburgh, where he missed the cut by a long way. Scott is proud of his majors streak, considering he’s had to get through US Open final qualifying twice in the past six years to keep it going. He’s guaranteed to play the British Open next month and the 2026 Masters, due to a lifetime invitation as a champion, which will take his streak to 98 majors.
“I’d be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend,” Scott said. “Right now, that’s really what I’m here to do, and I feel like there’s probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better. But I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year.
“I feel like this is what I’ve been working towards. I was [three shots back of winner Scottie Scheffler with seven holes remaining] late at the PGA, and now kind of putting myself in this one for the weekend. It’s a long way to go, but I feel like my game is in good enough shape to do this.”
Meanwhile, fellow Australian Jason Day was next best of his countrymen at three-over following an impressive three-under 67 in the second round which elevated him to just six shots off the pace. Kiwi Ryan Fox, twice a PGA Tour winner this season, was five-over while Marc Leishman was a shot further back. Cam Davis was seven-over and will make the 36-hole cut on the number. Min Woo Lee, at nine-over following a 72, and Cameron Smith (eight-over) were all but assured to miss the cut.
Lucas Glover and Wyndham Clark were among the former US Open winners not to make the weekend.
