Kaymer shoots 2nd straight 65 at U.S. Open, sets 36-hole mark

PINEHURST, N.C. – Martin Kaymer is threatening to run away with the 114^th U.S. Open.

The smooth-swinging 29-year-old from Germany fired his second consecutive 5-under-par 65 over the No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club on Friday and established an Open record for low 36-hole score.

Kaymer's two-round total of 10-under 130 bests the old mark of 131 set by Rory McIlroy in 2011 at Congressional Country Club outside of Washington. McIlroy fired rounds of 65 and 66 on the first two days en route to a 8-stroke victory.

Through the first half of the day, with 78 players playing in the afternoon, Kaymer left the course with an 8-stroke lead. The record for largest margin after 36 holes is six shots, originally set in 2000 by Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach and tied by McIlroy.

Kaymer also is the sixth player in U.S. Open history to reach double digits under par. McIlroy was the last to do it, and he eventually reached 17-under in the final round over a Congressional course softened by persistent rain.

Kaymer had the benefit Friday of playing in the morning. Overnight rains had softened the course somewhat but he was the only player to go low among the morning groupings.

Kaymer, who started on the 10^th hole, birdied 10, 13 and 15 to make the turn 8-under. He added birdies at the third and fifth holes. He did not make a bogey during the round, stretching his streak of holes without a bogey to 29.

Among other contestants playing in the morning, former PGA champion Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Brendon de Jonge all reached the clubhouse at 2-under 138 for 36 holes, eight behind Kaymer.

Kaymer is the first player to shoot back-to-back 65s in a major since David Toms did it in the second and third rounds of the 2001 PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

--Joe Juliano