The five most important things to watch on what could be a wild weekend at the U.S. Open

BROOKLINE, Mass. — In the midst of a tenuous time for golf, Brooks Koepka said earlier this week he wanted the focus to be on the U.S. Open. After two rounds, with Phil Mickelson now gone after having missed the cut, it's safe to say that the focus has shifted back to golf thanks to some big names and unique stories.

So let's oblige Koepka.

Here are five things to watch for heading into the weekend at The Country Club:

For a moment on Friday, the game's top players were absent from the top of the leaderboard. But as the wind died down in the afternoon, four players ranked in the top 10 in the world made moves.

After salvaging a double bogey with a marvelous 25-foot putt on the third hole, Rory McIlroy heads into Saturday one shot off the lead. Between the frustration and passion he's shown on a few holes this week, it's evident McIlroy doesn't just want to end his eight-year major drought, but believes he can do it. And after coming off a big win at the RBC Canadian Open last week, played opposite the LIV Golf London debut, McIlroy's game seems primed at the perfect time for him and for the sport.

Meanwhile, Collin Morikawa is trying to win his third major and first U.S. Open after putting together a tournament-best 66 on Friday to vault himself to the top of the leaderboard. Earlier this week, Morikawa said his game wasn't at his best because he couldn't hit a fade. If that's the case, it doesn't look to be hurting him. Jon Rahm, the defending U.S. Open champion who played alongside Morikawa on Friday, nearly matched him. The Spaniard's 67, helped by an eagle at the 14th, places him just one shot back.

«I think it's a testament to the health and the state of this game,» Rahm said of the leaderboard after his round,