US Open Golf 2018 Leaderboard: Live Updates and Storylines to Watch for Saturday

The best golfer in the world has a four-stroke lead in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.

That means it's going to be quite difficult to beat Dustin Johnson over the final 36 holes in the tournament.

While the golf course has gotten the best of nearly all the rest of the players who teed it up in the second major championship of the year, Johnson has executed in workmanlike fashion. He has made his pars, picked up several birdies and managed to avoid costly bogeys throughout the first two rounds.

He has put his power on display on several occasions, but it has been his ability to execute from the fairway, on his approach shots and with his putter that have allowed him to build a lead in the U.S. Open.

Johnson and the other golfers who played in the Friday morning session had to contend with wind and rain that dissipated in the afternoon session. Despite playing in the more difficult conditions, Johnson was able to play consistently.

"You've got to play really good golf if you want to shoot a good score, and I like where par is a good score on every hole, no matter what club you've got in your hand, what hole it is," Johnson said, per the Associated Press (h/t Boston Globe).

Here's a look at the U.S. Open leaderboard, per PGATour.com.

Johnson has put himself in an excellent position to win the tournament. He is the seventh player to hold a lead of four shots or more at the 36-hole mark, and five of the previous six golfers in that position won, according to Justin Ray of the Golf Channel.

The only golfer who failed in that position was Tom McNamara in 1909.

Johnson's closest competitors are Scott Piercy and Charley Hoffman, both of whom are even-par at the halfway mark. 

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson and defending champion Brooks Koepka are one more stroke behind at one-over. Fleetwood and Koepka may have the most momentum on moving day, as both golfers fired four-under-par rounds of 66 on Friday.

Rose was one-under with two holes to play Friday, while Poulter was just one shot behind Johnson at the same point. Rose closed with two bogeys, while Poulter finished his round with a triple bogey and a bogey.

Rose believes he has an excellent chance to contend in the tournament despite Johnson's four-stroke edge. 

"You just saw what happened to Ian Poulter five minutes ago. That could happen to DJ," Rose said. "I'm not saying it's going to, but it could. That's the nature of the U.S. Open. So hang around is often the best form of attack."

Rose's point makes a lot of sense because Shinnecock Hills is so treacherous. Just because Johnson has been able to avoid disasters to this point does not mean he will be able to avoid them over the final 36 holes. Staying close will allow Rose or any other golfer to make a run at the lead and the potential championship. 

Rickie Fowler and Russell Henley are both at two-over in the tournament, and both have an opportunity to work themselves into contention.

Marc Leishman is three-over, while Justin Thomas is among those golfers at four-over par who will try to work themselves into a better spot on moving day. Both golfers are capable of shooting 67 or better, and that would go a long way towards having a shot on Sunday.

Golfers should have excellent playing conditions Saturday. Weather.com predicts temperatures from 71 to 77 degrees with no chance of precipitation for Shinnecock Hills. The winds are not expected to be as big an issue as they were during the first two days of the tournament.

Fox will broadcast Saturday's round starting at 11 a.m. ET until 7 p.m.