Francesco Molinari walked to up the final tee at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina essentially needing a miracle to make the cut at the US Open.

The Italian delivered with the shot of the second round, a dramatic hole in one on the 194-yard, par-three ninth using a 7-iron.

Molinari, who started the round on the back nine, was two strokes over the projected cut line at the time.

But the eagle moved him to 5-over-par for the tournament and will allow him to play the final two rounds, with the top 60 and ties making the cut.

He could barely believe his eyes when the ball hit the left edge of the green and starting tracking toward the cup and fell in.

His playing partners, Ryo Ishikawa and Sergio Garcia, had already hit their tee shots and were walking toward the green when they heard the roar of the crowd.

They raised their arms in the air simultaneously before returning to congratulate Molinari on the tee box.

"I don't even know what to say. Just incredible," Molinari said of his third career ace on the US PGA Tour.

"It was the last chance to have a chance to play the weekend. I saw we were still 61st at the time. That's golf in a nutshell."

Molinari, who shot a 2-over 72 for the round, said he was not going for an ace, but just wanted to get the ball close and have a shot at a birdie and then just hope for the best.

"With that flag, if you hit a good shot, you can get it within birdie range," he said.

"But the chances are incredibly small, so I don't know what to say."

It was the second hole in one of the day on the ninth hole at Pinehurst.

Sepp Straka had an ace earlier, six holes after he hit the flag stick on his way to a triple bogey.

Straka landed the ball in the front portion of the green, and it rolled about 9.1 metres into the cup. 

It was the first ace on the PGA Tour for Straka, who raised his arms in jubilation. He also made the cut.

Sweden's Ludvig Åberg shot a 1-under 69 to claim the lead after the second round.

He is 5-under for the tournament.

Bryson DeChambeau, who had five birdies and four bogeys for a 69, and Belgium's Thomas Detry, who shot 67, are among the golfers one shot back at 4-under.

They are joined by first-round co-leader Patrick Cantlay (71), who overcame a double-bogey on the eighth hole.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is 5-over and will contest the remainder of the tournament after being in danger of missing the cut after a birdie-less 74.

First-round co-leader Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shot a 2-over 72 to be tied for fifth place.

Meanwhile, Australians Adam Scott (2-over), Min Woo Lee (2-over) and Cam Smith (3-over) all made the cut.

AP/Reuters