Australia’s Adam Scott played one of the low round on day three of the 125th US Open at Oakmont Country Club on Saturday to share second place. Image courtesy usopen.com.
By Rahul Banerji
There is a growing possibility that Adam Scott will emerge as the big story of the 125th US Open.
If he has not already done so at Oakmont Country Club.
While Sam Burns of the US continued to head the field after on Saturday, it was the veteran Australian, in his 96th consecutive major championship, who really made the most of Moving Day.
After 54 holes, Burns (72-65-69) leads fellow-American J.J. Spaun (66-72-69) by a stroke on 4 under par 206, while Scott (70-70-67) has quietly worked his way up alongside Spaun on 3 under 207.
With Oakmont continuing to test the field, all bets are off for Title Sunday especially after Scott fired the day’s joint best score of 3 under 67 with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz who is sole fifth on level par 210 behind Norway’s Viktor Hovland (71-68-70, 209).
Interestingly, Scott, 44, is the only one in the top 10 with a major title to his credit at the 2013 Masters. If the 14-time PGA Tour winner improves his placing on Sunday, he is line to become the second-oldest US Open champion ever behind Hale Irwin (45).
“I just tried not to force anything,” said Scott later. “Played safe shots and accepted I wasn’t going to finish next to the hole when it wasn’t dialled in… I think I’ve managed it well.
Conservative golf
“I’m playing from the fairway a lot, played fairly conservative, and I haven’t really been forcing the issue much. Could be a different story tomorrow. A lot can happen in 18 holes out here. But I like what I’ve done so far.”
Fourth-placed Hovland, a seven-time PGA Tour winner, is also very much in contention as one of just four to post an under-par total as is Ortiz, who has won once each on the PGA Tour and at LIV Golf.
Fellow LIV star Tyrrell Hatton (73-70-68), of England, and South African Thriston Lawrence (67-74-70), are five shots off the lead on 1 over 211s.
“Today I didn’t drive the ball as well as I would have liked to,” said Burns after the third round.
“But when I got out of position, I feel like I did a good job of getting myself back in the fairway, having a wedge or short iron in my hand and giving myself a chance for par.
“I was able to convert some of those and kind of kept the momentum going. That was kind of key to the round today.”
Added Spaun, who will be in the second to last pair on Sunday ahead of Burns and Scott, “I’m trying to just let the course come to me.
No pressure
“It’s easy to not have the expectations at a US Open, to have to feel like you got to get everything up-and-down or convert, so I’m just like, okay, if I make a bogey, I make a bogey. Everybody’s making bogeys.”
And there’s the always dangerous world number one Scottie Scheffler (73-71-70), seven shots behind the leader, but by no means out of it yet.
“Right now I’m seven shots back, which around this place, I mean anything can happen. I mean, do I feel like I’m out of the tournament? No. Do I wish I played a little bit better today? Yeah. Of course,” he said on Saturday.
Also read: Ruthless Oakmont dumps DeChambeau as Burns takes the lead
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