While Erin Hills was still not playing as hard as many past U.S. Open courses, it was beginning to firm up from the early week rain, plus the USGA had a few tricks up its sleeve.
And after all that, Casey finished tied for the lead at 7 under, along with Koepka, Brian Harman and Tommy Fleetwood.
It sounds as if Erin Hills is becoming more challenging with each passing minute.
Looking for his first major title, the 28-year-old carded a 7-under 65 on Thursday, including seven birdies, and along the way tied the lowest score to par in the first round of a U.S. Open. This is the first time in 25 years that the U.S. Open has played as a par 72.
However, while the world's top three are making other plans for the weekend after missing the cut, college amateur Cameron Champ is proving that massive tee shots can still help get the job done on the long, links-style layout.
Not everyone was participating in the birdie binge.
Triple-bogeys have a way of sinking a round, but somehow that wasn't the situation for Paul Casey on Friday at the U.S. Open.
"It sets up really well for me, especially if I'm driving it like I did today".
"That means I'm a part of history", Thomas told reporters.
The 34-year-old finished second in both the US Open and Open Championship in 2015, with his remarkable performance at Chambers Bay leaving him as the holder of two tournament records.
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"I think with everything so large, your target is larger and your misses get even more extreme".
"I could not have hit that three-wood to the last (from 299 yards) any better if I tried, just a little high cut and I was very fortunate for the overnight rain for the ball to stay there". I've never done this before, I've never played a US Open, so it will be a very cool experience.
"Usually when you shoot even in a U.S. Open and you're one off the lead, you're not six down afterward", J.B. Holmes said.
Johnson, who won the 2016 US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, ended the second round on 4-over following his 1-over 73.
"There are a lot of really good players out here that haven't won a major". No matter what that's something when you're always going to walk up the 18th green with your best mate. "I just didn't get it in the hole fast enough".
He recovered to drain a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-three 13th, but thereafter was unable to build any momentum over the remainder of the opening nine holes.
Of the 68 players who made the cut, 42 are under par.
Corey Conners, of Listowel, Ont., shot his second straight 76 to finish at 8-over par and miss the cut.
Discussing his woes at the long 14th, Casey added: "It was all my own fault, but a good display of what can happen if you get out of position on this golf course, which is what I did".
"When I saw it was about seven feet away I knew maybe we had a chance of history".
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