Dustin Johnson's U.S. Open charge stalled with a disastrous quintet of holes, plunging him from solo second to the cut line.
What happened?
He began the day within one stroke of the lead, but a double bogey at the 11th sparked a collapse.
Johnson hit his tee shot into the front greenside bunker and watched his second shot roll off the green and into an adjacent bunker.
Why it matters for Dustin Johnson
This stumble marked a stark contrast to his opening 66, which had positioned him for a strong major finish.
And then he bogeyed the par-4 12th after an errant tee shot, bogeyed the par-4 13th after a poor approach shot.
What comes next?
Dustin Johnson's quadruple-bogey 8 at the 15th dropped him into a tie for 66th, outside the projected cut line.
But he bounced back with a birdie at the 16th hole and a pair of closing pars, finishing at 3 over par.
Dustin Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open champ and 2020 Masters winner, has two top-20 major finishes since joining LIV Golf in 2022.
He followed his opening 66 with a 77 to finish at 3 over par, tied for 54th and inside the projected number when he signed his card.
So his fight to make the cut continues, with the 126th U.S. Open far from over.
Dustin Johnson will look to draw on his past major successes to propel him back up the leaderboard.
The 2020 Masters winner has the talent and experience to recover from this setback.
And with a strong final round, he could still make a push for a top finish.
But for now, his focus is on making the cut and extending his U.S. Open campaign.
Dustin Johnson's fans will be watching anxiously to see how he responds to this challenge.
With his birdie at the 16th hole, he showed glimpses of his trademark resilience.
The question is, can he sustain this form and climb back up the leaderboard?
Only time will tell, but one thing is certain - Dustin Johnson will give it his all.