PITTSBURGH — There aren’t many big names at or even near the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Open after two rounds, and there is a number of the bigger names who didn’t even survive the cut.

Some people love the underdog stories. Some want star power. And if you are one that is looking for star power, this has certainly not been the U.S. Open for you ... yet.

Friday was the day when the golf course punched back. The conditions were difficult for everyone, and depending on the weather, it could get even more difficult as the weekend unfolds. If the rain comes as predicted, the course may play a little easier, but if it holds off, the course may get firmer and faster.

Either way, the best story right now — or at least most interesting — is five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is hanging around the leaderboard and seems to be in a place mentally that suggests he will be a factor by the time this event is done.

Koepka is the ultimate man’s man. He is the one guy on tour most dudes can relate to and he is a bit of a badass. He took the world of golf by storm as he raced out to five major championships from 2017-23. He is known for his fearless, aggressive style and became the ultimate competitor in golf’s biggest tournaments.

But a myriad of ailments have held him back over the last two years, and some would argue his jump to LIV Golf probably aided him losing his edge. Feisty Koepka is the best Koepka, in my opinion, and I am not sure we have seen much of that until this weekend. He has made it very clear he is here to win the tournament and he has made it clear he has not at all been happy with his recent appearances in majors.

He missed the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship and he said he basically went into a boot camp-like training with his swing coaches and trainers in order to find his game, as well as his mental edge, again. And in the meantime, he was not exactly in a jovial mood and he said it affected all those around him who had to put up with him.

“I would say from the first weekend in April until about last week, you didn't want to be around me,” Koepka said. “It drove me nuts. It ate at me. I haven't been happy. It's been very irritating.”

Koepka sent a loud signal that he was ready to compete on Thursday, as he shot a 2-under 68 and was just shots behind leader J.J. Spaun. He had only two bogeys in the round and had an eagle that ignited the gallery on No. 4. It was the kind of round he needed to get himself into the weekend in a good place mentally.

“Yeah, I feel good. It's nice to put a good round together,” Koepka said Thursday after his round. “It's been a while. I've been working hard. Just got into some bad habits and bad swing positions. We worked pretty hard last week. Pete Cowen and Jeff Pierce were on me pretty good, and Pete got into me again on Monday in the bunker for about 45 minutes. I just sat there, and he scolded me.”

Koepka spoke a lot about the bad habits he had formed during his time in golf’s wilderness and how he was committed to breaking them before he got here to Oakmont. He said it made for some uncomfortable sessions with his coaches and even some angry moments, but he doesn’t think he would have it any other way because it is what he needed.

“I don't like having ‘yes’ people around me. I just want somebody to tell me the truth, tell me what's going on, what they see,” Koepka said. “If I start swaying from being Brooks Koepka, then I want someone to call me out on it, and he did a helluva job on it.”

I actually was more impressed with what Koepka did Friday when he was scrambling and struggling throughout the entire round. You want to talk about the aura of a champion, a guy who knows what it takes to win this tournament as he has done twice before?

Yes, he was 4-over and had eight bogeys and some of the ugliest pars you have ever seen, but he never gave in to the course. And he made some incredible birdies to keep himself in the competition. A number of other big names fell victim to Oakmont and either didn’t make the cut or are way behind, but Koepka fought his way through and is in a pretty good position heading into the weekend.

Koepka sits at 2-over par for the tournament, and that means he is only five shots behind the leader, Sam Burns, who sits at 3-under. Five shots in 36 holes can be overcome. Koepka’s status as the player with the second-most major championships in the field (Phil Mickelson has six) probably will put some pressure on the players ahead of him.

Adam Scott is the only player ahead of him who has won a major championship, and while there is always a place for new winners, it can be very difficult to navigate the pressure of the weekend rounds once the competition is getting close to the end.

Koepka has won this tournament twice and he is still one of the biggest names in golf. If he can put together a good round Saturday, he will be on the shortlist of favorites to win the thing come Sunday. And then maybe he will smile again, though that is definitely not a given.

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