Tiger Woods may have laughed off his first round woes but had little to smile about Friday as the former world number one comfortably missed the halfway cut at the U.S. Open.
The 14-time major champion shot a six-over-par second round 76 to add to his sorry opening 80 at Chambers Bay and will not be playing the weekend.
Up in the group ahead, the new bright young star of U.S. golf Jordan Spieth was showing the sort of form that has deserted Woods to make his challenge for a second straight major.
Read: Tiger can see funny side after opening 80
The Masters champion carded a three-under-par 67 for five-under 135 despite a double bogey on the 18th, his ninth.
Four birdies had taken him to six-under and into the outright lead before the rare slip up.
Day collapses
But there were worrying scenes for Spieth’s playing partner Jason Day, who collapsed while playing their final hole, the ninth.
The Australian, who has a history of suffering from vertigo, was attended by paramedics before bravely completing his round, bogeying the hole to finish on two-under overall after a 70.
Day’s 2014 season was hampered by injury and illness and he was forced to pull out of the WGC event at Firestone last August after suffering dizzy spells, which have also dogged him this season.
The 21-year-old Spieth ushered away photographers while Day was being attended too, then showed his powers of concentration by rolling home a birdie putt to complete his fine round.
Hot putter
“If my putter continues to be hot like it has been, we will be in really great shape,” he told Sky Sports.
If world number two Spieth does complete the double, he will be the first man since Woods in 2002 to achieve the rare feat and only the sixth man in history.
Woods could find no inspiration from the cheers of the gallery in front and his slim hopes of making the cut took a nosedive on his very first hole, the 10th, pulling his second shot into the steep slopes to the left of the green.
Approaching his ball, Woods slipped up and ended unceremoniously on his backside. A bogey five followed, one of eight in his round, offset by two birdies.
Disconsolate Woods
“I hit it a little bit better today but I made nothing,” Woods said after his second round. “I hit it in spots where I could make putts but I made nothing.”
His opening 80 had been his worst round at the U.S. Open, which he has won three times, the last time back in 2008, also his last victory in a major before problems in his personal life and various injuries have derailed his career.
Joint first round leaders Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Dustin Johnson were later starters on five-under-par, with world number one Rory McIlroy, who shot an opening 72, also teeing off late.