Dustin Johnson putting up the slope on the 10th for his birdie but he's not given that enough of a bump. It's a couple of feet shy but below the cup.

A look at the leaderboard tells you all you need to know. Dustin is two under for his round and moving the right way; Shane Lowry is three over.

Can the Irishman reverse his fortunes?

That's a little naughty. Dustin Johnson launches his ball straight over the TV tower that he moved his ball from the deep rough to avoid. He lands on the green and will have a birdie look.

Shane Lowry, after playing the first nine in three-over-par 38, is out with the driver on the 10th. Big boomer down the middle.

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Shane Lowry wastes little time on the ninth, flicking his ball back on the fairway from the sand. He's on the green for three but dribbles his par putt left. He is dropping another.

Up on the 10th and after a frantic search, Dustin Johnson's ball is found in the thick rough, 50 yards left of the fairway. He is out with tee pegs and it looks like he's getting the break of all breaks here.

He has a big TV tower about 80 yards in front of him. That is in his line of sight so he gets a free drop, no nearer the hole of course, but crucially, two club lengths takes him out of the deep rough and onto the first cut.

You know that bit of luck needed to win a major...

-5 Dustin Johnson (US) (9), Shane Lowry (Ire) (8)

-2 Scott Piercy (US) (10), Sergio Garcia (Spa) (10) 

-1 Jim Furyk (US) (18), Branden Grace (SA) (9)

Jim Furyk, the 2003 US Open champion, will place in the top 10 for the 23rd time at a major. He has one PGA Tour win since 2010 but there is hope at least of landing a major surprise here.

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Jim Furyk races his par putt up the 18th green. He knows there is no point leaving this short. Two under is a good target, one under feels a bit short.

But that is missing and it will be a first bogey of the round for the American. In fact, it could be a double, he's got six feet left.

Nope, a nicely weighted curler and he sets the first target after an excellent four-under-par round of 66.

The Open champion Zach Johnson makes a double bogey on 11 and is now four over. To his namesake Dustin who goes left off the 10th tee into rough.

Jim Furyk is making a bit of a meal of the last. He hacked out of the rough into a fairway bunker. His third has found the green but he's left himself a 33-foot putt for par. He could do with knocking this in.

Jay Townsend
Former American professional golfer on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Short game is Dustin Johnson’s Achilles heel but the greens at the US Open help bring everyone down to his level by compensating for his lack of technique in that respect."

Dustin Johnson will fly one into the ninth green from around 170 yards. It's a high ball, the crowds are hollering it into the green but where will it land, it's good and the roar is up.

Can he convert from 10ft or so, the ball is in the cup. You bet he can. And at almost the same moment Shane Lowry finds sand off the ninth tee. The lead is tied.

Shane Lowry stands some 90ft from the pin in the fairway on eight. He goes for a low chip and run, the line looks good, it looks fantastic... it's in... oh no, lips out. Brilliant stuff, a par but that was a real confidence booster.

To Garcia on 10 for birdie and three under. A right to left putt from 20ft, too much borrow on it and it will not make the break. That'll be par.

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent at Oakmont Country Club

"We always talk about how much experience he has and his temperament and it was really set out for him today, but it's just gone away again. He might not have many more opportunities like this."

Lee Westwood in the long grass, hunched over like the hunchback of Notre Dam as he tries to find a stance on the ninth.

It's a scuffed shot into the lighter rough. Westwood could end today 10 over the way he's going.

Come on Lee, just find some groove and haul a few back.

"Couch potatoes", shouts one fan as Shane Lowry takes on the eighth.

The eighth to me resembles Floyd Mayweather mixed with Mike Tyson in his prime. There's just something intimidating and unbeatable about it.

Lowry looks like he's respectful of this drag as he positions the ball in the fairway. Remember, this is a par three. This my friends, is a key hole for Lowry.

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Justin Thomas had two birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey in an eventful back nine as he posted a three-over 73 to finish +8 for the Championship.