Golf:Graeme McDowell understands what it takes to US Open and the 2010 champion manoeuvred himself into position to challenge strongly at the weekend with a second round 72, for a 36-hole total of one over par at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

It was only at the end of his round that things got away slightly for him he racked up three bogeys in the last four holes to lie a couple of shots behind the early clubhouse leader and one of his playing partners Jim Furyk. The American added a 69 to his opening round of 70 to amass a one under total of 139.

McDowell’s ability to find the fairways gave him an opportunity to get to two under for the tournament at one point during his round and as if to reinforce the problems of missing them, three of his bogeys came from errant tee shots.

He bogeyed his second hole, the ninth, and dropped another at the 12th but this was offset by birdies at the 10th, 15th and 16th that saw him move to two under for the tournament. Despite another bogey at the first he got that shot back with a birdie at the third but he was three over regulation figures for his final four holes.

Defending champion and fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy missed the cut after signing for a 73 and a 10 over par total for 36 holes. The damage was done in his first round (77). Dubliner Peter Lawrie, making his debut in the championship, had a tough day on the Lakeside course, posting a 77 for an 11 over par total.

American Michael Thompson continued to lead the tournament on four under having played just two holes of his second round while Ireland’s Padraig Harrington (four over) and Tiger Woods (one under) were among the later starters.