Adam Scott will have to fashion a major weekend charge to steal the US Open trophy after falling seven shots off the halfway pace at Pinehurst No.2.
Scott carded a second-round two-over-par 72 to slip back to two over for the championship in a tie for 29th with seven others, including fellow Australian Min Woo Lee.
It could have been worse after Scott dropped four shots in his opening eight holes before the former world No.1 rallied with three back-nine birdies.
Lee scrapped his way back into the tournament with a one-under 69.
He was bogey-free until dropping his only shot of the day on his penultimate hole.
Runner-up at the Masters on his major championship debut, Swedish halfway leader Ludvig Aberg continues to impress in his first, dazzling year as a professional.
The 24-year-old also posted a 69 to climb to five under and grab a one-stroke buffer over Americans Patrick Cantlay (71) and 2020 champion Bryson DeChambeau (69), and Belgium’s Thomas Detry, whose 67 was the equal low round of the day.
Cameron Smith was the only other Australian to make the cut.
The 2022 British Open champion’s second-round 72 left him at three over in a share of 37th, eight shots adrift of Aberg.
At six over, qualifier Jason Scrivener (74-72) missed the cut by a shot while two-time US Open runner-up Jason Day (71-77) slumped to eight over.
Cam Davis (77-72) never recovered from his first-round shocker and wound up at nine over.