Lee Westwood battled the course and a virus to get within two shots of the lead after two rounds of the US Open. The 32-year-old Englishman carded a fighting 72 for a halfway score of level par and a share of sixth place.
Luke Donald is two shots further back while debutants Jonathan Lomas and Nick Dougherty both made the cut on six over, as did Ian Poulter after a 69.
Colin Montgomerie was on seven over, while Graeme McDowell and Ireland's Paul McGinley were right on the cut.
Westwood, bidding to become the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to win the tournament, holed from off the green at the seventh - his 16th - to stay well in contention.
The Worksop golfer said: "You just try to make pars and try not to make too many mistakes. If you make two bogeys a day you are usually in pretty good shape.
 |  This has to be the toughest of any US Open course |
"I made one birdie (in the second round), but that probably would have been seven or eight on any other course.
"If people have come expecting to see lots of birdies they are going to be disappointed.
"There is no other course in the world with greens like these. None that I have played any way. It demands the ultimate in precision.
"I am happy with the position I am in and if I keep playing the way I am I will be delighted - and hopefully I will be in there tomorrow afternoon."
Compatriot Donald bogeyed his last to narrowly lose his two-day duel against playing partner Tiger Woods by one shot.
Scotland's Montgomerie had been hoping to get back into contention when he resumed on two over, five off the lead.
But damage limitation became the priority when he set off with a double bogey seven at the 10th.
"I had an horrendous start. A terrible, terrible start," said Montgomerie.
"This has to be the toughest of any US Open course. There are just no greens at the end of what you are doing.
"My irons are not quite good enough and I am not holing any putts, but it's just so hard."
MMIX
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