Bryson DeChambeau birdied his final hole to set the clubhouse lead midway through round two of the US Open at Pinehurst as the Australian contingent experienced mixed fortunes as the cut loomed.

Adam Scott is primed for weekend action after a steady 72 left him two over but Jason Scrivener and Jason Day look certain to fall well short.

Scrivener’s 72 left him six over, while Day endured a gruesome second day, shooting a 77 to end the day eight over.

Cam Smith, who shot a first-round 71, Cam Davis and Min Woo Lee were in later groupings,

Meanwhile DeChambeau shot a one-under 69 to improve to four under, one ahead of Rory McIlroy whose 72 leaves him at three under.

DeChambeau was briefly overhauled by Thomas Detry who shot six birdies but bogeyed two of his final three holes to join the American at four under par.

It was a battling performance from McIlroy who shared the overnight lead with Patrick Cantlay on five under.

Cantlay is among the later starters on Friday, as is Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who resumes on four under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is in danger of missing the cut for the first time since August 2022 after a ragged round of 74 left him at five over par, on the projected line.

So far, with tournament organisers watering the course between rounds, the notoriously tough Number Two at Pinehurst has yet to fully bare its teeth at the 124th US Open.

After his 71 on Friday left him at one under, England’s Tyrrell Hatton described what is happening in his head during a round as “internally screaming for the most part”.