Fowler needed to birdie the par-4 18th hole at Los Angeles Country Club to break the 36-hole record set by Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No.2 in 2014. But he settled for a two-putt par, one of only four pars he made in the second round.
Fowler had eight birdies and six bogeys and, after opening with three straight birdies, he also became the fastest player in history to reach 11-under at a U.S Open.
“It’s not that easy out there,” Fowler said. “I’ve made a lot of birdies and that is doable out there. Until you’ve been on the grounds or been out there hitting shots, it’s still a very hard test.
“Is it the hardest U.S. Open? No. I think it’s a good, fair, hard test. Visually probably watching on TV and stuff it probably doesn’t do it justice. The fairways look very wide because yes, the mowed areas are wide, but where you have to hit it is very…