The 48-year-old Bland, who only qualified for the event after picking up his first European Tour title at the 478th attempt at last month's British Masters, fired a second day four-under-par 67 to reach five-under for the championship as the wind started to pick up at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

"The old saying is you get knocked down seven times, you get up eight," said Bland, hardly able to believe his try, try and try again fairytale rise this year.

"I've always had that kind of attitude that you just keep going. You never know in this game, you just keep going," added the man playing in just his second US event.

Bland started on the back nine and reached the turn at two-under. He started to pull away with three birdies over his next six holes but a bogey at the par-three eighth, where he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker, cut into his lead.

Richard Bland plays an approach shot during his second round 67. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Former Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen, who shared the 18-hole lead with Russell Henley, made a nine-foot birdie at the last for an even-par 71 that left him one shot off the pace.

Twice Masters champion Bubba Watson, who missed the cut in five of his last seven US Open starts, birdied five of his final six holes for a four-under-par 67 and was a further shot adrift with World No.3 Jon Rahm (70).

Bland was in the clubhouse when co-overnight leader Henley started his round while Italian Francesco Molinari and Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, who were both a shot back after the opening round, were also among the late starters.

Oosthuizen started early on Friday to complete the final two holes of his fog-delayed first round and was cruising along in the second round until he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-four sixth.
The South African then dropped another shot at the par-3 11th where his tee shot settled in a right greenside bunker.

World No.5 Bryson DeChambeau (69), who began the day six shots adrift, started on the back nine and bogeyed two of his first three holes but followed with birdies at 13 and 16 before an eagle at the par-five 18th where he drained a 24-foot putt.

DeChambeau then mixed a birdie with a bogey in his three holes out of the turn to get back to even par. He offset a late bogey with a closing birdie to get to even par on the week.