Graeme McDowell was pleased with his position heading into the weekend of the 122th US Open Championship, despite dropping three shots in the final four holes of his second round.

The Northern Irishman, winner of this title in 2010 at Pebble Beach, birdied the 15th and 16th – his seventh and eighth holes of the day – to go into second place on his own at two under par.

However, McDowell then bogeyed the fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth holes, and slipped back to one over par and into a tie for seventh place after signing for a round of 72.

“It’s just a brutal test of golf,” said McDowell.

“I’m disappointed to bogey three of the last four today. I hit a decent shot into five and missed it on the short side. On six, I hit a great shot, but missed the putt; then on eight, I got a shooter off the back and had a tough up and down.

“But that’s what this golf course can do to you in a heartbeat; and, to be honest with you, if you had offered me one over par starting on the first tee yesterday, having seen what I saw in the morning, I would have probably snapped your arm off for it.

“So I’m very happy to be where I am. I think I’ve played some really nice golf over the last two days, and enough birdies to offset some mistakes – which I think is key.”

He was still right in contention, as most of those ahead of him were still out on the course and finding life just as hard.

They included American Michael Thompson, three clear overnight following a sparkling 66, and after a double bogey and two bogeys in his first six holes he was back down to one under.

That was still good enough for a share of the lead with 2003 winner Jim Furyk, who, playing with McDowell, shot a fine 69, and 17 year old American amateur Beau Hossler, like Thompson a qualifier.

Tiger Woods was alongside them after a five foot birdie at the short third, but he could not get up and down from sand at the fifth and had a terrible break at the next.

The 14-Major Champion liked the look of his approach, but it finished in thick rough just above a bunker and it was no wonder he dropped another shot from there.

Lee Westwood was playing with Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald – both of whom looked set to miss the cut - and he shot 72 to be five over, the same as Ian Poulter (75), while Justin Rose was one better after he too shot 75.

Hossler, who also played at Congressional last year and missed the cut, had the thrill of leading on his own when he made a brilliant birdie on the 520 yard par four first, holing from just seven feet.

Woods, on the other hand, three-putted the seventh from under ten feet for a third successive bogey and Thompson double-bogeyed the 18th to complete a back nine 41.

They were both one over and joint fourth with McDowell and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, who had shot a morning 69.

Woods hit back with a 30-foot birdie putt on the tenth and became second on his own to Furyk when Hossler bogeyed the second and double-bogeyed the fourth.