Mickelson predicts Oakmont carnage

US Open Update:Phil Mickelson predicted carnage in the US Open second round when Oakmont Country Club's infamous greens became even tougher.

   
The world number two, nursing a sore left wrist for the last two weeks, battled to a seven-over-par 77 for an 11-over total of 151.
   
One of the early starters, Mickelson initially felt he had no chance of making the cut but reconsidered as Oakmont became faster and firmer in bright sunshine and swirling breezes.
   
"If I'm fortunate enough to make the cut I'm going to come out tomorrow and try to put together a heck of a round," the three-times major winner told reporters. "It can be done. It could be double digits over par that wins here."
   
Mickelson was two under for the day after six holes before dropping six strokes over a punishing stretch starting at the par-four seventh.
   
"Seven, eight, nine and 10 is a tough stretch," he said after a double-bogey, bogey, bogey, double-bogey run. "If I play that stretch in two over, it won't kill me. That stretch did me in today."

The American, whose marquee grouping with world number three Jim Furyk and fourth-ranked Adam Scott was a collective 35 over par, said he would spend the afternoon watching the "carnage" on television.
   
"I don't have to root for it," he said. "It's going to happen."
   
Furyk, the 2003 US Open champion at Olympia Fields, was frustrated after bogeying his last two holes.
   
"I'm not happy with 75," the American said after posting a six-over total of 146. "I felt like I was playing pretty well yesterday and I got off to a rough start today and finished poorly. In between, I played some good golf."
   
Furyk, whose card included two birdies and seven bogeys, described Oakmont as "a mean golf course".
   
"It's set up tough and there isn't a lot of leeway for poor shots," he said. "Rarely do you hit a marginal shot and get away with it and often times you hit a darn good shot and it doesn't turn out well. This place is only getting tougher and harder."

Of the home players Graeme McDowell was five over for the tournament through 11 holes while Padraig Harrington had dropped back to nine over after 10. That left the Dubliner 10 shoots behind the lead held by Argentina's Angel Cabrera.