US Open Golf 2017 Leaderboard: Live Look at Friday Scores, Overall Predictions

Golfers continued to post low scores Friday as numerous players conquered Erin Hills during the second round at the 2017 U.S. Open.

Of course, it wouldn't be a surprise if Erin Hills starts showing its teeth over the weekend and the top scores start dropping down toward even par. If the winds start whipping, more drives could find the nasty fescue, which has proven very difficult to manage.

While the contenders are clear at this point, a few golfers who are within striking distance could make a charge this weekend and contend for first place.

Here's a look at the latest leaderboard as well as some analysis on three golfers outside the top five who should be in contention to win Sunday.

Players To Watch and Predictions

Brendan Steele

The statistics show that the 34-year-old Steele has been one of the most steady, well-rounded and consistent PGA Tour golfers this season.

According to PGATour.com, Steele has missed a cut just once this year and has registered four top-10 finishes. He also ranks no worse than 89th in any of the strokes gained categories.

Steele, who is currently 12th in the FedEx Cup standings, made a remarkable seven birdies Friday. If not for some bogeys scattered throughout his round, Steele could be in the top three.

Although Steele's highest ever major finish is 15th (at last year's U.S. Open), expect him to stay near the top of the leaderboard thanks to his fantastic all-around play.

Prediction: Top-five finish

Russell Henley

Henley, who is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour (he ranks 14th in strokes gained putting), finished with three birdies and just one bogey Friday. He currently sits at three-under for the tournament.

Henley was the low amateur at the 2010 U.S. Open, finishing 16th overall, but success in this major has evaded him otherwise, with a 42nd-place finish in 2011 being his best result since then.

However, that should change this weekend as Henley's driving should enable him to contend.

He ranks 40th in driving distance and 59th in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour, and being long and accurate is crucial at a course like Erin Hills, which is more than 7,800 yards and has nasty fescue and bunkers seemingly everywhere.

Henley, who has never cracked the top 10 of a major but has finished in the top 25 five times since the beginning of 2015, is a strong front-runner to finish top 10 this year.

Prediction: Top-10 finish

Justin Thomas

Although a late bogey on the eighth hole put a slight damper on his round, the 24-year-old Thomas put it all together Friday as he shot a three-under 69. He is currently two-under overall heading into Saturday.

Thomas' booming drives (his driving distance average was 305.3 yards before the U.S. Open began) have proven to be a massive boost at the long Erin Hills course.

However, he has had a volatile tournament. Thomas made 10 birdies over his first two rounds, but he also triple-bogeyed the eighth hole in the first round and bogeyed five other holes. If Thomas shot par on the eighth hole on both days, he'd be at six-under for the tournament.

If Thomas can play cleaner golf over the next two days, he could go on a tear and vault up the leaderboard. When Thomas is hot, he is one of the best golfers on tour, as evidenced by his three wins and seven top-10 finishes this season.

Prediction: Top-10 finish