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Tyrrell Hatton has every reason to smile after a two-under 68 left him five shots off the lead heading into the final day - Getty Images/Andrew Redington
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Tyrrell Hatton’s mood was in stark contrast to that of Matt Fitzpatrick on Saturday night as the two Englishmen encapsulated the positivity and negativity that invariably conflict at a US Open.
While Hatton is thrilled to be in contention going into the final round here – in sixth and just five behind American Sam Burns – Fitzpatrick is aggrieved because he believes that this Oakmont set-up is unfair. The 2022 US Open champion should be praised for saying what so many of his peers have declined to articulate.
“No, I personally don’t think it’s fair,” Fitzpatrick said after a 72. “I think there’s hard that’s fair and there’s just straight unfair. And I just think that this falls into the latter category, really. I just don’t think it necessarily rewards good shots and I think it penalises bad shots too harshly.
“I spoke a lot over the last few years about rough graduation, and how you can be more penalised for hitting a shot one yard off the fairway, six inches off the fairway, than you can 40 yards off the fairway. And obviously, when you have the greens as extreme as these, it amplifies any miss.
“Obviously, it always sounds like sour graves when a player complains and I am a huge fan of the USGA [the US Golf Association which oversees the US Open], I’m all for an over-par winning score and I am first to say that I love that, but I think when you do have three guys under par after two rounds, I think that kind of tells you a lot about what the layout is doing It is a tough course, and I don’t necessarily feel like it needed to be made more extreme than it already was.”
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Sam Burns leads on four-under heading into Sunday’s final round - Getty Images/Warren Little
On nine-over, Fitzpatrick is 13 strokes off the pace and clearly too far back. The same applies to Rory McIlroy, the world No 2 who shot a 74 to stand on 10-over. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is on four-over after a 70 and not totally discounting his chances. “Around this place, I mean anything can happen,” he said.
Hatton will be clinging to that notion after a fine 68 took him to one-over. With his notoriously short fuse, perhaps Oakmont does not seem a natural fit, but Hatton sees it differently. “I have a head off whenever I play,” he said. “Everyone comes to the US Open and has a head off, so it brings them to my level for a week.”
He was inevitably ruing the double-bogey on the 15th, where his ball was caught up in the thick stuff in the bank of the bunker, but the manner in which he saved par on the 18th was impressive. Hatton drove into the face of a fairway bunker and was forced to chip out. From there he hit a wedge to 125 to three feet.
“That was very pleasing,” he said, after a round featuring five birdies. “With all the rain overnight, there’s no doubt that you could be a little bit more aggressive today. It should be the same tomorrow and I’m sure it’ll be an exciting finish.”
Burns is one clear of countryman JJ Spaun after the pair both traded 69s in an enthralling close to the day. But the most popular winner would definitely be Australian Adam Scott, alongside Spaun on three-under after a 67. This is the 44-year-old’s 96 successive major and although he delivered at the 2013 Masters that singular haul does not begin to sum up the beauty of his swing and the magnificence of his character.
Norwegian Viktor Hovland is the only other competitor under par – on one-under following a 69 – with Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre also in the top 10 on three-over after his own 69.
12:55 AM BST
Par for Burns and bogey for Spaun
That means Sam Burns takes the sole lead into tomorrow’s final round on four-under, thanks to a one-under third round 69. JJ Spaun was unable to get up and down at the last, so he ends on two-under after another 69.
12:47 AM BST
Both Burns and Spaun in trouble at the 18th
Burns finds deep rough, while Spaun hits a spectator (no damage done). With his approach Spaun finds the right greenside bunker, while Burns does well to muscle the ball to the back of the green.
12:44 AM BST
Scott finishes with a round of 67
A bogey at the first was his only blemish in a fine round that owed a lot to his calm and experience. How much will that be a factor in tomorrow’s final round?
The Australian is on three-under, two ahead of playing partner Hovland who bogeys the last to end on one-under, still very much in this tournament.
12:36 AM BST
Sam Burns clearly doesn’t like sharing
I say that because he’s birdied the 17th to move back into the sole lead. A lovely chip left him with a tap in birdie putt to move to four-under. Playing partner Spaun, however, soon joins him after getting up and down from the greenside bunker.
12:28 AM BST
Three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard
That’s thanks to Adam Scott birdieing the 17th. He gets up and down from the greenside bunker at the drivable par four to move to three-under. Hovland also birdies - thanks to a brilliant chip from the thick cabbage - to move to two-under.
This tournament has just come alive.
12:19 AM BST
Rare mistake from Burns
The leader bogeys the 16th - it was a misread for the six-foot putt and he’s back to three-under. JJ Spaun doesn’t make the same mistake and it’s even-steven once again. The US pair are co-leading once more.
12:11 AM BST
Another possible Scott stat
12:09 AM BST
Pars for Burns and Spaun...
...on 15. And for Scott and Hovland on 16.
It looks as though these will be the last two groups again tomorrow, barring a disaster for one of that quartet.
12:01 AM BST
Hovland is hanging tough
The world No 14 drains a 27-footer for par having found trouble off the tee and being forced to lay up. He stays at one-under. He’s not got his best stuff out there at the moment but he’s hanging in there and that’s what you need to do at a US Open. Scott pars the same hole thanks to a great up and down from the right, greenside bunker, to stay at two-under.
11:53 PM BST
Burns and Spaun both par the 14th
The former stays on four-under and the latter on three-under.
11:44 PM BST
Two great approaches
(i) By Hatton at the last, it was his third having found the right bunker with his tee shot. He fires his short iron over the pin before spinning it back to within a foot. He ends his round on one-over after a two-under round of 68.
(ii) By Scott, who is currently on fire (not literally, obviously...) At the par-four 14th he hits his approach from 94 yards to 14 inches. He doesn’t miss those and he’s now at two-under...interesting...
11:40 PM BST
Sam Burns is back to being sole leader
That’s thanks to a birdie at the par-three 13th. His tee shot left him with a seven-foot putt for birdie and once he hit the flat stick it never looked like going anywhere but the bottom of the cup. JJ Spaun pars to stay at three-under, one back of Burns.
11:36 PM BST
While we’re talking about Scott...
11:32 PM BST
Scott with a brilliant tee shot at the par-three 13th
It leaves him with just a five-footer for birdie and he doesn’t look that gift horse in the mouth, sinking the putt. That moves him into red numbers, one-under for the tournament. Playing partner Hovland pars the hole to stay on the same number. This star-studded pair (there aren’t many of them today) are now hot on the heels of the leading pair who, as they did on 10 and 11, have parred 12...they stay on three-under.
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Adam Scott is lurking with intent, two shots back of the co-leaders - AP/Carolyn Kaster
11:26 PM BST
Birdie for Hatton
He makes one of the shots of the day with his drive at the par-four 17th to 31 feet of the pin. He cannot drain the eagle putt but sinks the two-foot follow-up to move back to one-over. He’s still in this contest.
11:16 PM BST
Ortiz is clubhouse leader
The Mexican bogeyed the last but still was able to record a three-under round of 67. He heads into the final round at level-par.
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Carlos Ortiz was one of the form men during the third round at Oakmont - Getty Images/Patrick Smith
11:13 PM BST
Par, par
For both JJ Spaun and Sam Burns on 10 and 11. There’s very little, if anything to separate the two. Both are looking solid and this is very much a staring contest where neither looks like blinking.
11:04 PM BST
Hatton smacks his putter
Then points at it as though it is a badly behaving dog...it’s what he does (what a character!). This mini tantrum comes about as he (not the putter...) just misses a birdie putt at the 16th. He stays at two-over.
11:01 PM BST
Pars for Spaun and Burns
They stay at three-under through 10.
10:54 PM BST
Hatton double bogeys the 15th
It comes about due to missing his approach on the shortside. He’s in a heap of trouble in the deep rough and having got the ball onto the dancefloor he proceeds to three-putt leaving him now at two-over.
10:47 PM BST
Great putt from JJ Spaun
It’s come at the ninth, it doesn’t drop but what could easily have been a three-putt is a nerveless two-putt. It allows him to go out in one-under, leaving him at three-under for the tournament. He co-leads with Sam Burns.
10:31 PM BST
We’ve not seen much of him, but...
...Carlos Ortiz is on fire. The Mexican is four-under for his round, and one-under the for tournament. He’s currently on the 16th and well in this championship.
10:29 PM BST
Scheffler’s third round is over
And the world No 1 is seven shots back. He played well without ever really building up a head of steam. His round of 70 means he’ll head into the final round on four-over. Too far back, you suspect...
10:22 PM BST
Hatton making a move
The Englishman has birdied three of the first four holes on the back nine to move to level-par for the tournament. His tee shot at the 177-yard par three was a peach, leaving him with a tiddler (two foot) for birdie. He’s now three-under for the round and is looking increasingly like the danger man out on the course right now.
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He’s now smiling and it’s not hard to see why. Hatton is moving up the leaderboard - Getty Images/Andrew Redington
10:12 PM BST
Scott looked annoyed with that missed putt
And it’s not hard to see why.
To put it bluntly, this isn’t the most exciting leaderboard. That’s not to take anything away from Spaun, Burns and Co, but none of them have really been in this position before. Scott, however, has. He has experience of majors galore (this is his 96th consecutive major) and will be only too aware that if he can edge his name further up the leaderboard, he’d have a great chance of landing a second major to go with his Green Jacket.
10:09 PM BST
Scott misses a birdie putt at the seventh
That would have moved him to one-under for the tournament. It was just a five-footer but it misses on the low side. He stays at level-par.
10:07 PM BST
We are back to having co-leaders
That’s thanks to a Burns birdie at the fifth. He joins JJ Spaun at three-under.
Think the term for the round so far is nip and tuck...
09:58 PM BST
Tyrrell Hatton is being Tyrrell Hatton
Namely, looking dumbstruck as to how a putt of his stayed above ground, incredulous as to how the ball had the nerve and bare-faced cheek not to drop into the hole...how dare it...Some say the English LIV player is a character, others, understandably, find him slightly annoying. Anyway, Hatton’s missed birdie putt at the 11th means he stays at two-over.
09:54 PM BST
Bob MacIntyre is the clubhouse leader
The Scot finished with a bogey, but that doesn’t detract from a fine, one-under 69. He leads in the clubhouse at three-over.
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Ladies and gentlemen, your clubhouse leader, Bobby MacIntyre - Getty Images/Andy Lyons
09:43 PM BST
Spaun birdies the fourth
His drive may have found the bunker at the long par-five but he took his medicine, laying up before stiffing his third to four-foot. He drained the putt and he’s back to three-under and, once again, with the sole lead.
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09:36 PM BST
Thriston Lawrence has had a poor season
But he’s having a good championship. He’s two-under through six today to be one back of the leaders at one-under.
09:31 PM BST
Power from Adam Scott
The Australian is on the green at the 600-yard par five fourth in two and two putts moves him back to level-par. Playing partner Hovland has to be content with a par. He stays at one-over, two-over for the round.
09:26 PM BST
The rain has stopped and the sun in out
And Ben Griffin has another reason to smile as he’s just drained an 18-footer at the fourth to move back to level-par, just two shots off the lead. The American is having a a great season and could be the one to watch over the next two days.
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Ben Griffin is lurking near the top of the leaderboard with intent - AP/Gene J. Puskar
09:23 PM BST
JJ Spaun escapes the third with just a bogey
Sam Burns missed his birdie putt on the same hole so we’re back to have join leaders - the pair of them on two-under.
09:15 PM BST
Church Pews claim another victim
Well, sort of. JJ Spaun’s drive a the third comes to a stop in the rough fringe of the infamous bunker. The leader is forced to stand in the bunker and play the ball well, well above his feet, baseball style. His second, as a result, is a hook into the left rough. Meanwhile, Sam Burns’ drive is so far left that it goes wide of the Church Pews onto the fourth fairway. His approach leaves him with a 20-footer for birdie.
09:10 PM BST
Rain has arrived
And it looks as though it’s coming down quite hard. No sign of thunder and lightning though...
09:06 PM BST
Bob MacIntyre is lurking with intent
The left-handed Scot is one-under for the day, through 15, and three-over for the tournament, a good finish here cold move him into possible contention tomorrow.
09:04 PM BST
Sam Burns bogeys the second
That means JJ Spaun is the sole leader at three-under. Burns’ bogey cam courtesy of his tee shot that found the deep fairway bunker. He had to take his medicine and was unable to get up and down from there.
09:01 PM BST
Nearly an ace!
The near hole-in-one comes at the 253-yard par-three eighth. His tee shot lands six feet short of the flag, takes a couple of bounces before shaving the left kip. Soooooooo close. His tap in putt will take him, however, back to four-over.
08:58 PM BST
Hovland has had 10 birdies and an eagle over the first two days
And has a great chance at the second. But he leaves his 10-foot putt just short. He, understandably, looks annoyed. That was a good chance to bounce back from the opening bogey. He stays at level-par.
08:52 PM BST
Here’s remarkable stat
08:49 PM BST
Yes. He. Can!
Perfect start for JJ Spaun - he drains the 15-footer at the first to move to three-under. That means he joins playing partner Burns at the top of the leaderboard.
08:45 PM BST
Great approach from JJ Spaun
From 182 yards he fires his iron to 15 feet. Can he get off to a great start?
08:42 PM BST
Hovland and Scott make a meal of the first
Viktor actually does well to make bogey after being forced call an unplayable, he’s back to level-par. But Scott three-putts to also fall back to one-over.
08:37 PM BST
The lead pairing is off
JJ Spaun (two-under) drives first and his shot finds the fairway. Sam Burns (three-under) also takes driver and his ball finds the first cut.
08:34 PM BST
Hovland found his ball at the first
And decides to take an unplayable. He drops onto a path, one that looks fairly muddy, and plays a delightful iron to the front of the green - great shot.
08:32 PM BST
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is on fire
The Dane has fired four birdies in a row (from the fourth to the seventh). Rich Beem on Sky commentary (a very likeable man he is too...) says he’s not sure how you get four birdies in four rounds, let alone four holes...
Neergaard-Petersen is no at one-over.
08:28 PM BST
Speaking of Hovland
08:28 PM BST
Viktor Hovland and Adam Scott
Is the big pairing of the late starters. The Norwegian however is forced to take a provisional, his drive seemingly flying into the trees and foliage on the right...ouch.
08:17 PM BST
Koepka bogeys the first
He only had 143 in but his approach left him with a 50 footer for birdie and the two-time champion contrived to three-putt. He’s back to three-over...
08:10 PM BST
Scheffler had done all the hard work at the...
...par-three eighth, leaving himself with a four-footer for par. But the world No 1 inexplicably misses and he’s back to four-over.
07:57 PM BST
Rory ends with a bogey at the last
So will head into the final round on 10-over. That’s a four-over 74 today and, like his tournament, his round never got going.
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Rory McIlroy displays of frustration were never far from the surface at Oakmont - Shutterstock/Jared Wickerham
07:52 PM BST
Brooks Koepka gets his third round under way
He’s on two-over and is definitely a dangerman, having won this tournament twice. His drive finds the first cut on the right of the fairway.
07:48 PM BST
Upcoming tee times
- 19.51 Si-Woo Kim and Brooks Koepka
- 20.02 Russell Henley and Thriston Lawrence
- 20.13 Victor Perez and Ben Griffin
- 20.24 Adam Scott and Viktor Hovland
- 20.35 JJ Spaun and Sam Burns
07:43 PM BST
Great up and down from Scheffler at seven
To stay at three-over. You need to do that on this course and he’s still not out of this championship.
07:28 PM BST
Scheffler is far from finished
He’s bogeyed the par-three sixth - his tee shot left him with a 19-footer for birdie and he drained the breaking putt to move to three-over. He’s only six back of the lead and knows full well that those at the top of the leaderboard haven’t been in that position in a major before...
07:21 PM BST
Marc Leishman is moving in the right direction
The Australian is four-under for his round and two-over for the tournament. Birdies at the second, third, sixth, eighth and 12th, were only offset with bogey at seven. He’s now just five off the lead...but he’s showing that this course is gettable and scoring may be as good as we’re going to see it when the leaders head out in just over an hour’s time.
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Marc Leishman is playing himself into contention - AP/Carolyn Kaster
07:10 PM BST
Spieth out in 34
The 2015 champion chips in at the ninth for birdie to move to four-over. He’s recorded three threes from the seventh and he’s not out of it by any stretch of the imagination.
07:05 PM BST
Scheffler makes par at the fourth
He stays at four-over...but it’s a scrappy par, not something you associate with the world No 1. His drive found the rough at the par-five, his second then found yet more cabbage. From there he moved his ball to the greenside bunker. He was able to get up and down to save par, but once again it’s clear to see he’s not displaying his A-game this week.
07:00 PM BST
Bogey for McIlroy
He was unable to get up and down at the 14th and he’s now at nine-over.
06:56 PM BST
Rory flies his approach at the 14th....
...over the pin and into the back bunker. It was only from 120 yards and that sort of sums up how he’s playing at the moment, not just this week but also recently.
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McIlroy’s mood summed up - Getty Images/Ross Kinnaird
06:45 PM BST
Rory’s second sand-save of the week
Hurrah! It’s come at the par-three 13th and it’s a pretty good one. He shortsided himself but was able to get up and down - draining the five-footer to stay at eight-over.
06:32 PM BST
Bouncebackability from Scheffler
After that unforced error at the first the world No 1 drains a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-four second. His drive at the 348-yard hole set up the birdie and Scheffler’s round has got going.
06:23 PM BST
Bogey at the first for Scheffler
Slightly shocking this. His drive found the middle of the fairway, and his approach left him with a 27-footer for birdie. But the world No 1 contrives to three putt and he’s at five-over. Not the start he wanted or needed.
06:21 PM BST
Rory is back to eight-over
A bogey at the par-four 12th sums up his tournament so far. His approach finds the front-right bunker. His chip from the hazard then leaves him with a 50-footer for par, but he’s unable to drain the putt from downtown and he looks dejected...understandable. Playing partner Schauffele pars to stay at five-over.
06:14 PM BST
Conners is out in 32
That’s three-under for the round, and it’s blemish free, an illustration of what score is available out there today. The Canadian is three-over for the tournament.
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Corey Conners is showing that Oakmont isn’t always fearsome - AP/Carolyn Kaster
06:04 PM BST
Scottie Scheffler’s third round is under way
The world No 1 finds the fairway, something he hasn’t done enough this week. If he does that a lot today then with his iron-play he could, perhaps, play his way into contention today. He’s four-over for the week...
05:59 PM BST
Rory plodding on at Oakmont
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McIlroy is at seven-over for the tournament, no fireworks, no disasters... - AP/Carolyn Kaster
05:57 PM BST
Rory birdies the 10th
That moves him back to seven-over after a bogey at the ninth. He’s basically plodding on this round. No fireworks, no disasters, he’s just putting one foot in front of the other.
05:36 PM BST
What to make of the first two days?
05:34 PM BST
For an idea of what Oakmont is offering up today...
Both Corey Conners and Marc Lieshman are three-under through six moving them both to three-over for the tournament.
If someone can go low (in Oakmont terms...) early on, they they could put themselves into contention tomorrow.
05:29 PM BST
The brutish par-three eighth
Has played to 159-over par for the first two days with just seven (YES, SEVEN...) birdies. Anyone else think par-threes over 200 yards should be banned? Think of great par-threes and the Postage Stamp, the 12th at Augusta, and 17th at TPC Sawgrass come to mind – not some mammoth 301-yard par three where some of the best in the world need driver to reach the dancefloor....
Anyway, rant over...today it’s playing just 253-yards. Rory finds the putting surface and two putts to stay at seven-over, while Schauffele, however, finds the left rough with his tee-shot and he’s unable to get up and down, so falls back to five-over.
05:20 PM BST
Xander Schauffele on the move, again
Is moving in the right direction, he’s added to his birdie at the sixth with another at the par-four seventh. He had 170 to the pin and his approach left him a five-footer for the three, and the American drained his putt. He’s back to four-over...Playing partner Rory pars to stay at seven-over.
05:13 PM BST
That’s my brief stint done
And it’s over to Greg Wilcox for the main course of the third round.
05:01 PM BST
Schauffele birdies the sixth while McIlroy makes par
Having made par at the fifth McIlroy drives to the right of the green off the tee at the par-three sixth, leaving himself a 34-footer for birdie which he rolled to the left of the pin. With 5ft for par, McIlroy makes it and marches off to the seventh tee, now two strokes behind his playing partner Xander Schauffele who made birdie with a peach of a tee shot that set up an 18-inch gimme.
04:53 PM BST
If you’re frustrated that it’s all about Rory
Sadly he is one of the two featured groups on the US Open website and will be the only story in town for Sky for the next couple of hours. But coverage will broaden during the evening.
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McIlroy’s post Masters travails continue - Getty Images/Andrew Redington
Off camera, Australia’s Cam Davis is having a day to forget, carding three double bogeys a bogey and a birdie at the first 10 holes to drop all the way down to 14-over.
04:42 PM BST
Matt Fitzpatrick is out in 34
Interesting point made by Rich Beem on Sky – if you can go round in three-under today from the back of the pack after 36 holes, you will be in contention tomorrow at three- or four-over given the wind and rain to come today. The 2022 champion is six-over.
04:36 PM BST
McIlroy in more trouble at the par-five fourth
The Northern Irishman seems perplexed by the amount of water on the course that badly affected his tee shot and he then went into the bunker to the left of the green from his second shot but he scrambles par, chipping to 30ft and then two-putting to prevent any further damage. Schauffele, steadier, makes his fourth par in succession.
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04:20 PM BST
McIlroy bogeys the third
Some raindrops on the camera lens now as McIlroy plays his second at the third and overclubs it, bursting the green with his pitch and sticking it in the fringe at the back, 35ft from the cup.
Schauffele saves par with two putts from the front of the green and McIlroy putts to within 8ft of the hole but slides his par-save to the right by inches. He knew straightaway and went marching after it, feigning to whack the ball before it fully came to rest. So, a bogey for McIlroy and down to seven-under.
04:04 PM BST
McIlroy starts with pair of pars
McIlroy is 58 yards from the pin when he plays his second, needing to get it uphill and make his pitch out of the rough plug and stick to the top of the green. Although the gallery doesn’t roar, Rory’s second is perfectly respectable, nestling on the first ridge just below the cup. He leaves himself a tricky birdie chance from 40ft uphill. Schauffele is much better placed to the right. Excellent putt up the ridge from McIlroy in terms of line, using the fringe but the green isn’t as fast as he expected/as it was yesterday and he leaves it 3ft short. Scaufffele has a 15ft putt for birdie and he leaves it high on the lip then rolls to three inches away.
Both nail their par putts.
03:53 PM BST
Johnny Miller on Rory
McIlroy uses his driver on the 348 yard second, going for it but flirting too passionately with the right and the ball is in some first cut before the bunkers that guard the front of the green. Schauffele, by contrast, is in some thick cabbage way down the left, almost wincing after driving.
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03:47 PM BST
McIlroy starts with par at the first
Excellent recovery from McIlroy out of the damp rough. He has the grass growing in the direction of the green and had a decent lie, pinging his iron 140 yards to the front of the green leaving 32ft to the hole. Schauffele has a 35ft putt for birdie too and goes first, rolling the ball with almost perfect judgment on this still lightning green to the right of the hole, sinking his second putt for par from 2ft.
Xander’s line gave McIlroy a map and he loops his putt even closer than his playing partner. Inches short, he rattles in his par putt for a stable start.
03:41 PM BST
Rory McIlroy tees off at the first
And he starts by pulling his tee shot over to the left in the deep rough, making 338 yards. Schauffele is on the fairway about 20 yards back. It’s very wet on the fairway and the rough.
03:36 PM BST
Steady start by Matt Fitzpatrick
The 2022 champion began on seven-over but has just birdied the par-five 600-yard monster fourth hole after starting with a hat-trick of pars.
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Matt Fitzpatrick starts steadily - Getty Images/David Cannon
03:24 PM BST
A word from Shane Lowry who seemed more bemused…
… by his 79 and 78 on Thursday and Friday than angry. And this lapse, too:
03:10 PM BST
Better news from Matt Fitzpatrick and Brian Harman
Both made par at the first.
03:06 PM BST
Early movers, all downwards
Philip Barbaree bogeyed the first, made par on the second and double-bogeyed the third to fall to 10-under where he has been joined by Cam Davis who bogeyed the first and doubled the second. Two shots ahead of them are Hideki Matsuyama and Harris English who started with bogeys and are currently playing the second while Andrew Novak also bogeyed the first – making it five bogeys from all five players at that hole this afternoon – but saved par on two.
02:38 PM BST
McIlroy and Schauffele have form
02:25 PM BST
Tee times amended
I was duped by misreading the world clock. They are in fact half an hour later BST. Apologies.
First out is Philip Barbaree on seven-over – he made the cut this morning with a birdie on the last:
Philip Barbaree Jr. had to make this 5-footer Saturday morning to play the weekend at Oakmont. Look at what it means
@RoyLangIII) pic.twitter.com/Lge012rF5T
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2025
Sky’s coverage in the UK starts at 4pm.
02:10 PM BST
Enjoying the tempest
01:55 PM BST
Third-round pin positions
01:44 PM BST
Created by sadists, welcome to this year’s US Open golf course
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Credit: X/@DPWorldTour
01:30 PM BST
Oakmont’s a brute but where does it stand with its savage counterparts?
01:23 PM BST
Don’t come if you don’t want to get wet
01:19 PM BST
Tee times just announced
Selected:
15.34 Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele
17.18 Ryan Fox and Bob MacIntyre
17.40 Rasmus Hojgaard and Aaron Rai
18.02 Cameron Young and Scottie Scheffler
19.13 Tyrrell Hatton and Christiaan Bezuidenhout
19.51 Kim Si-woo and Brooks Koepka
20.02 Russell Henley and Thriston Lawrence
20.13 Victor Perez and Ben Griffin
20.24 Adam Scott and Viktor Hovland
20.35 JJ Spaun and Sam Burns
12:30 PM BST
Tee times TBC
At the end of the second round which will resume for the 13 golfers who were unfinished when lightning struck and the hooter sounded late last night. The third round will begin at around 3pm BST, 10amEDT.
12:24 PM BST
Weather forecast for Plum, Pennsylvania
According to the Weather Channel, there will be fairly persistent rain this morning, max temperature of 23C/74F and the rain lightens around noon followed by intermittent showers all afternoon which will be a godsend to the players on those previously brilliantined greens.
12:18 PM BST
Preview: Moving day
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of round three, moving day, of the 2025 US Open from the infernal Oakmont. After the 13 stragglers who were left stranded on the final holes of their second rounds complete them this morning, proceedings will begin with Sam Burns in the halfway lead at three-under with Rory McIlroy starting early, once the tee time shave been confirmed, nine strokes behind after making the cut by one shot with Friday’s birdie at the 18th. Better to start early than not at all, which is the fate of defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, who is heading home to Grapevine (I bet you’re wondering how I knew) after his R2 seven-over left him marooned at 10-over for the tournament.
Burns’ five-under-par 65 put him one shot clear of Thursday’s overnight leader JJ Spaun while the only other player under par is Viktor Hovland, alone in third place and two shots behind Burns after a two-under 68 that included a chip-in for an eagle from behind the green at his eighth hole, the par-four 17th. Adam Scott, playing in his 96th consecutive major, recorded a second successive even-par 70 and was three shots off the pace and in a two-way share of fourth place with Ben Griffin.
Play was suspended due to lightning with 13 golfers still on the course in a driving rain, including South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence, who was looking at a three-foot par putt on his final hole to stay at one over on the week when the horn sounded. “Just about when I was going to take my putt, the siren sounded,” said Lawrence. “A bit frustrating in that sense, but those are the rules.”
McIlroy was in a battle with his driver and irons to make the cut after two early double-bogeys and hoyed one of them in exasperation at the 12th after botching his approach before destroying the tee box at 17 with a violent swing of his club. Yet he managed to make par at the penultimate hole and closed with a birdie to make the cut with a shot to spare. Pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler endured a switchback ride of four birdies and five bogeys for a one-over 71 that left him at four-over.
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McIlroy launches his club at the 12th - Getty Images/Patrick Smith
“Today was, I think with the way I was hitting it, was easily a day I could have been going home and battled pretty hard to stay in there,” said Scheffler. “I’m four-over. We’ll see what the lead is after today, but around this golf course I don’t think by any means I’m out of the tournament.”
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