Mt. Lebanon native Neal Shipley went viral in the online golf community this week with his choice of head cover for his driver. It’s a replica of an order of curly fries from Arby’s.
He’s also making some headlines for more substantive reasons.
Shipley made the cut in a major championship for the second time this season, carding a 3-over-par 73 under difficult conditions Friday in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Shipley is tied for low amateur honors with University of Kansas senior Gunnar Broin at 3-over for the tournament. Florida State junior Luke Clanton (5-over) also made the cut.
Shipley, who shot an even-par 70 in the first round Thursday, popped up on the leaderboard early in the afternoon Friday when he birdied his second hole of the day, the par-4 11th, to move to 1-under for the tournament.
The rest of the round was a battle against the hot, dry conditions in North Carolina. The Central Catholic graduate finished his front nine with three consecutive bogeys to fall to plus-3 for the tournament.
He stopped the slide and made the cut with room to spare — it ended up at 5-over — by playing his final four holes 1-under, including a birdie on the par-3 sixth.
Shipley made the cut and was the top-finishing amateur at 12-over at The Masters in April. He’s trying to become the first golfer to win low amateur honors at The Masters and U.S. Open in the same season since Viktor Hovland in 2019.
Shipley, a recent Ohio State graduate, is expected to turn pro after the tournament.
Also, Peters Township native Brendon Todd made the cut on the number after shooting a 1-over 71 on Friday.
Todd, 38, is appearing in his sixth U.S. Open. His best finish was a tie for 17th in his U.S. Open debut in 2014, which, coincidentally, also was at Pinehurst No. 2.