PINEHURST, N.C. — Hovering around the cut line, Shorewood, Minnesota native Gunnar Broin was staring at a tricky pitch after missing the green on the 8th at Pinehurst No. 2.
Standing well below the green of his penultimate hole, Broin bumped the ball into the slope and watched it slowly work its way towards the hole. The cheers grew louder and louder as the ball creeped closer and closer to the pin, and when it dropped, it all but punched the 22-year-old's ticket to the weekend.
The Kansas University senior birdied three of his final five holes for a 68 — tied for the sixth-best round of the day — to put him at 3-over par entering the weekend.
And Broin isn't the only golfer with ties to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Frankie Capan III, who grew up in North Oaks, Minnesota, also made the cut, and will begin the weekend six back of leader Ludvig Åberg, who sits at 5-under. This is Capan's second U.S. Open, but it's the first time he'll be sticking around for the weekend.
"We were so excited for him last year, just to get in," said Ryan Gallagher, of North Oaks Golf Club, the course Capan grew up on. "... And, to finally put together a couple rounds ... and make the cut, it's really cool to actually see him doing that."
The members at North Oaks weren't the only people in Capan's corner. The Minnesota Vikings also gave the 24-year-old a shout out on social media after spotting the team logo on his tour bag.
After the round, Capan replied "SKOLling our way to the weekend."
Capan will begin his round at 12:40 p.m., while Broin is set to tee off at 10:34 a.m. KARE 11's Saturday coverage will begin at 11 a.m.
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