RORY MCILROY WASN’T THE only player to post a 66 in the second round of the U.S. Open. Tying McIlroy for low score on Friday was Marcel Siem, a 30-year-old German who plays on the European Tour. Siem looked like he was all but finished at Congressional Country Club after an opening 79. Pack your bags. Check for flights to Munich.Siem’s opening round started badly. He hit a spectator (with his golf ball) and made a double bogey. Then he three-putted. He lost his confidence and said that playing in the U.S. Open was “pretty frightening.” But Siem did not give up. He told the Marriott staff to hold his room just in case. “It’s a nice balcony room,” he said.
Siem watched part of McIlroy’s second round on television and realized a good score was possible with the soft course conditions. Then he went out and did it. Siem recorded seven birdies and fired 33 on both nines for the 66 that rocketed him up the leaderboard. With his 13-shot improvement, he made the cut on the number, 146, 4-over par.
“That means a lot to me,” Siem said. “Everybody was always talking about U.S. Open, and … it was always a dream for me. So I’ve played a U.S. Open now, making the cut …. When I go back to the hotel and call my girlfriend and my parents, I think I’m going to be really, really happy.”
Siem is currently 1 under for his third round and 3 over for the tournament. He’ll be around all weekend, staying in that nice balcony room at the Marriott.
−The Armchair Golfer
Related:
Y.E. Yang Is Hanging Around at 137
2011 U.S. Open: Rory McIlroy Beats Up ‘Neighborhood Bully’
2011 U.S. Open: 36-Hole Records and Other Notes
2011 U.S. Open TV Schedule and Tournament Notes
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