Jeev makes the cut at US Open

Jeev Milkha Singh perfectly timed his birdie on the 17th hole in the second round to make the cut at the 107th US Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club on Friday.

The Asia number 1, who has never missed a cut in his four Major appearances -- three of them in US Open -- shot a second successive five-over 75.

With a total of 10-over 150, he was tied 51st right on the cut line, as 63 players made the cut in an edition that has been dubbed as the toughest ever US Open in history.

Jeev was 10 shots off the lead held by Argentine Angel Cabrera, who added a one-over 71 to his one-under 69 on first day. Cabrera was followed by big-hitting Bubba Watson (71) at one-over 141, as no players remain under-par after two rounds.

Jeev had a much improved day on Friday, when he found eight of the 14 fairways, up from five in 14 on first day. But he dropped in terms of finding greens in regulation from 11 out of 18 to nine out of 18. He needed 32 putts as against 34 on the first day.

World number one Tiger Woods dropped two bogeys in the last four holes on 15th and 18th and dropped to five-over for 36 holes and was tied 13th.

Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy (71-75) was tied 19th at 146.

"This is a tough course and I love playing at such courses. This is what Majors are all about," said Jeev, who has earlier made the cut at US Open in 2002 at Bethpage and in 2006 at Winged Foot. He also made the cut at the Augusta Masters this year and finished tied 37th.

"I enjoyed myself at Bethpage and again last year and now that the first stage (cut made) is done, I hope to enjoy myself and improve my position."

Among those tied with Jeev are the Masters champion, Zach Johnson (74) and former US Open champion, Michael Campbell (77).

The biggest name missing the cut was two-times Masters champion Phil Mickelson (74-77) and joining him on the sidelines were twice US Open champion, Retief Goosen (76-77), Spaniard Sergio Garcia (79-75), Dubai Classic winner Henrik Stenson (79-76), European No. 1 Padraig Harrington (73-80), Asia's highest world ranked player Korea's K J Choi, South African World Cup winner, Trevor Immelman and eight-times European No. 1 Scotsman Colin Montgomerie.

Jeev started on the first and got his first birdie on the fourth. But that joy was short-lived as he found himself at the wrong end of the barrel with back-to-back double bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes.

When he added further bogeys on the ninth, 11th and then again on 16th, he was six over for the day and 11-over for the tournament.

The cut at that stage looked at 10-over or 11-over as players were dropping shot after shot. A birdie on the 17th brought him to 10-over and with a fine par he ended the second round at the same score and as the day unfolded he found work for the weekend.

Excruciating pin positions and lightning fast greens took a toll on overnight leader Nick Dougherty whose double bogey on 15th proved costly as he finished with a 77 and his five-over 145 meant he plays with Woods in third round.

Aaron Baddeley (70), Stephen Ames (69), Justin Rose (71) and Niclas Fasth (71) were all tied third at two-over 142 and Paul Casey (66) was tied seventh at three-over 143.

Oakmont continued to torment the players, as the hard and sloping greens extracted a severe cost for slightest of errors. So harsh has the course been in, that 156 players over two rounds have managed just four sub-par rounds.

Casey was the pick, as he carded a four-under 66, that could have been even better but for the 18th hole bogey. Casey is tied seventh.

Cabrera birdied the final hole to take the halfway lead as Europeans held sway at the US Open. Bubba Watson in second is the only American in top six places.

Cabrera's birdie at the final hole not only gave him a one-stroke lead over Watson, but also eliminated 19 players out of the tournament who had hoped to make the cut under rule of being 10 shots off the lead. Among those knocked out by that birdie were World No. 2 Mickelson and Luke Donald, who were among those on 11-over par.

The 27-year-old Cabrera has seven top-10 finishes in Majors and is the winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2005 and was joint fifth in the same tournament at Wentworth Club three weeks ago. Called the ultimate driving machine, he was one of the most consistent players on view.