At 8.49pm – three minutes from sunset – the horn sounds and play is called for darkness. Here’s a look at where the leaders stand including how far they made it into their third rounds. Please join us tomorrow! In the meantime, sleep tight.
-5: Lowry (14)
-3: Landry (13)
-2: Westwood (15), Garcia (14), D Johnson (13)
-1: Grace (F)
E: Piercy (13)
+1: Day (F), Dechambeau (F), Z Johnson (17), Summerhays (14)
On the 11th hole, Garcia pushes another half-chance at birdie just short of the cup. He stays on two under, while on the tenth, Johnson bogeys meekly to slip further off the lead.
Lowry has a 15 foot, makeable putt to lead by two... but it rolls a few inches to the left. Westwood has a fiercely breaking putt for birdie, and looks skyward as it stops at the rim. Further back, Day bogeys and drops back to +1. Grace, Summerhays and South Korea’s Sung Kang, -2 today, are level par as it stands.
-4: Lowry (11)
-3: Landry (10)
-2: D Johnson (11), García (11)
-1: Westwood (12)
Par: Grace (17), Kang (15), Summerhays (11)
The sun is setting on the third day at Oakmont, and this live blog is coming to a close. Here’s the current leaderboard, with five players under par duking it out to land their first major. We’ll have a report online at the close of play, and be sure to join Gregg Bakowski tomorrow for what’s set to be a thrilling conclusion.
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Garcia takes on a devilish birdie attempt at the tenth – he summons up plenty of spin, but it comes up just short. Lowry, putting uphill, has more margin for error – but he falls short too! That was a decent chance to go a couple clear.
Johnson does have a shot at birdie and a share of the lead, but it requires an absurd U-shaped shot that he nudges within three feet. This final group have taken a long while on this hole; all very tentative. Johnson rolls in the par to stay one behind Shane Lowry. There are five, repeat, five players under par.
Lowry, about to retake the outright lead, lands his second shot squarely on that tricky tenth green. Landry is looking at a fifty-foot, up and down, left-to-right impossible par putt. He rolls it to within a foot, an exceptional effort, but it’s a bogey. Lowry leads outright once again. That also means Martin Kaymer, three under for the day, three over for the tournament, is the only man without a third-round bogey. Don’t rule him out...
Garcia finishes a predictably patchy front nine with a bogey at the ninth. He’s down to -2, alongside Lee Westwood. Bourdy follows suit, and his title charge is fizzling out. Back on the ninth, Landry has a horrible lie, and this could be a pivotal moment in his round. He takes his sweet time, and lofts it onto the green, but there’s no way he can make it stick, and a first bogey is on the cards.
A first wobble in a while for Landry, sending his second shot into the rough, left of the green. Can DJ take advantage? He’s comfortably on the green, at least. At the 16th, South Africa’s Branden Grace sinks an almighty birdie putt, and he’s at level par, three under for the day.
Westwood pulls his drive into a forbidding bunker on the 11th, but carves it out nicely to find the green. He’s hanging in there. Lowry has a birdie chance to round off his front nine – and he takes it. He’s back to -4, and a share of the lead with Landry.
Garcia’s approach on the ninth, his third shot on a par four, has plenty of zip and a nice line – but it skips a long way past the pin, and saving par will be a big ask from there. Johnson immaculate again off the tee, striking a fade straight down the middle. Landry does likewise, and is growing in confidence. Reminder: he’s ranked 624 in the world. The lowest-ranked major winner to date? Ben Curtis, world No396, at the 2003 Open.
Shadows lengthening around the course, but there are still birdies to be had – Johnson is a whisker away on the eighth, but settles for par. Westwood can’t hold his putt for par on the tenth – he drops back to -2.
Jason Day still hasn’t found a birdie... he’s found an eagle, clipping in beautifully from in front of the green on the fourth. The world No1 is level par, five under for the day, and a serious contender for this title.
Westwood lines up a birdie putt on the sheet of glass that is the tenth green. It’s such a delicate shot, and while it runs wide left, he’ll be relieved to see it stop within a few feet of the cup. Playing partner Louis Oosthuizen had an awful first round, a brilliant second round, an awful front nine, and drains a birdie from thirty feet, out of nowhere.
Here’s the current leaderboard, subject to immediate change:
-4: Landry (7)
-3: D Johnson (7), Lowry (8), García (8), Westwood (9)
-1: Bourdy (8), Sullivan (9), Summerhays (9)
Updated
Piercy is the latest man to see a long putt somehow escape the cup, and stays on level par. Landry is next, lining up a huge right to left break. He’s got it! The rank outsider joins Lowry on -4, but the Irishman is weighing up a taxing par putt – it’s a fine, delicate effort, but an inch wide. Johnson misses a twenty foot putt for birdie – and it’s lipped out! Over to you, Sergio... and he’s the third contender in sixty seconds to miss a birdie by less than an inch. Landry is back in the lead...
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Westwood has crossed back over the turnpike, and nailed a curling birdie on the ninth. He joins Johnson, Landry and Garcia on three under, while Jason Day drops a shot on the third, and he’s without a birdie in seven holes, after four in the first five. And spare a thought for young Matt Fitzpatrick, seven over after 15 holes, and ten over for the tournament. Not his day.
Johnson beams a much better tee shot down the fairway, while Lowry skews his shot off the eighth tee and shakes his head. Garcia has found the greens in regulation on every hole, but has a papier maché putter. The lead is going to change approximately 300 times before tomorrow night.
Adam Hirst has this:
“Imagine… the final day threeball (necessary due to morning finishes) and Westwood, Garcia and Johnson are there, the only players under par, all on -4, all together on the 10th tee. I’d be watching the last two hours through my fingers. It could be the worst car crash TV that golf could ever invent.”
It really could happen...
Shane Lowry sinks his birdie putt, and for at least a few seconds, leads the US Open outright. Here comes Sergio, and guess what, he wafts an admittedly tricky putt a good foot wide. Lowry leads!
García is finding his touch here, two inch-perfect shots on the seventh giving him a birdie chance, for a share of the lead. Meanwhile, Johnson finds the bunker on that inviting sixth. He digs himself out, but the par putt just won’t turn enough, and he’s back down to three under. His short game very nearly got him out of jail again, but it couldn’t keep happening. Brace yourself: Sergio García might be about to lead the US Open.
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Westwood overcooks his birdie putt on the eighth, but salvages par. He, Garcia and Johnson stoically refusing to combust just yet. Another man moving up the leaderboard is Bryson deChambeau. After just one birdie in his second round, he started with three bogeys, but now has three birdies in four holes.
He’s on +1, alongside Branden Grace, Jason Day and Scott Piercy, with Adam Scott the only man level. Bubba Watson has enjoyed his front nine from the tenth, picking up two shots to move to three over.
Bourdy completes the set of birdies for the European trio, who are collectively getting their act together. Johnson, out of the bunker, finds the more forgiving part of the green, and a chance at par. It’s ten feet or so, on a taxing line – but it drops! Landry produces another silky putt, controlling his speed down the slope to leave himself a tiddler. Fathauer birdies the tenth, and there are nine men under par.
Here’s the latest leaderboard:
-4: D Johnson (5)
-3: Landry (5), Lowry (6), García (6)
-2: Westwood (7), Sullivan (6), Bourdy (6)
-1: Summerhays (6), Fathauer (10)
On the par-four fifth, Landry is on the green in two. Garcia with the curling birdie effort. It’s only dropped! He overtakes Westwood, and joins Landry – and Lowry, who tucks away his chance – on three under. Johnson, meanwhile, is in the filth after another loose tee shot. Those weren’t happening yesterday.
Shane’s flying the flag after a pretty dismal day for Irish sport” says John McEnerney. “Come on the Big Man from Offaly!”
He’s in good shape, powering off the sixth tee to set up a birdie. Sergio follows suit, leaving himself a slightly trickier chance. Westwood can’t build on that eagle at the fifth – he bogeys the seventh, his up-down day continuing, and suddenly he’s two shots off Johnson again.
Birdies everywhere – Garcia nudges his home on the fifth, and Sullivan takes out the short sixth in two strokes. They join Lowry on two under. The one that matters most is Dustin Johnson, rolling in his birdie putt on the fiendish fourth green. He retakes the outright lead, on four under.
This tournament has come to life in the last half an hour – it’s a shame that, with a couple of hours of daylight left, the main contenders won’t finish this third chapter today. Derek Fathauer, in the mix even on level par, creeps to within a few feet of the pin with his second shot on the 10th.
Westwood heads into perhaps the toughest section of the course – holes 7, 8 and 9. It was the turn that cost him the lead in the second round, and he’s off to a shaky start with a skewed tee shot. Garcia sets up a short birdie chance with a lovely chip onto the green – let’s see how he manages to mess this one up.
Westwood is a centimetre from retaking the outright lead, a birdie shot down the steep sixth green somehow escaping the hole at the very last. Andy Sullivan follows suit, lipping a magnificent effort in search of a second straight birdie. Spieth is losing his way on the short par-four second, running a long way beyond the pin from two different directions, leaving himself a job to drop just one the one shot.
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Oh, Sergio. More errant putting sees the Spaniard pass up another birdie. There are now just seven men under par. One of them, Shane Lowry, has a three-footer for a birdie – and he’s got it! Clear in second, one off the lead. Daniel Summerhays, the world No102, almost holes a thirty-foot birdie putt to join Lowry, but he’ll settle for staying one under.
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On the fourth, Boudry and Lowry both rescue poor approach shots with delicate chips onto the green. A couple of campaigns in the balance there. On the first, Spieth slides his third shot onto the green and a hair’s breadth from the pin, while on the 18th, Day has blazed through his front nine in 31. He’s four shots off the lead...
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Here’s that new-look leaderboard. Worth watching: Branden Grace and Derek Fathauer, both level par overall, and -3 and -2 respectively in the third round.
-3: D Johnson (3), Landry (3), Westwood (5)
-1: Summerhays (4), Sullivan (4), Lowry (3), Bourdy (3), Garcia (3)
Par: Grace (10), Fathauer (8)
Updated
A three way tie at the top...
Johnson drops his second shot into a tricky patch of undulating fairway, a few yards shy of the green. His third is another shaky effort, rolling back down the hill and leaving him a repeat for par. He gets within six feet, while Landry rolls up to within range with his birdie effort, and picks up par He’s looked the more composed of the pair so far – and Johnson has missed it, a couple of inches wide right. Double bogey, Johnson distracted by an almighty roar from the fifth, as Westwood holes from the fairway! An eagle, and he joins Landry and Johnson on -3.
Spieth has a putt in prime Jordan Spieth range – 15 to 20 feet out, and it’s dispatched for par. He couldn’t maintain that blistering start, but he’s gone out two under, and the same again will do nicely.
Day has a presentable chance at birdie at the seventh. It’s the kind he’s been gobbling up today, but he pushes it a fraction left. That would have put him five under for the day, level overall. He looks pretty annoyed with himself. Back on the third, after taking an age, Bourdy digs himself out of trouble, and onto the front of the green.
Dustin Johnson takes on an awkward chip, sharply downhill onto the green – his shot, laced with spin, comes to rest a couple of inches from the cup! From almost hitting the motorway with his tee shot, Dustin saves par. Landry follows suit, the outsider too cold to hold from six feet out. The lead stays at two shots.
Bourdy is in a tight spot on the foremost patch of grass in the ‘church pews’ bunkers on the third. He, Shane Lowry and Garcia all one shot down after two holes, and it’s not getting any better for the Frenchman.
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Piercy has started like a drain, scrapping out of the rough again to leave a huge par putt at the 2nd. Andy Sullivan has been quietly impressive – just four bogeys all tournament, and he plays a well-weighted approach shot for a chance at par on the 3rd.
Johnson sizes up his second shot, a few feet from the tarpaulin of a concessions stand. It’s all a bit embarrassing, but he rescues things with a haul towards the green – and he’s a little unlucky to wind up on the crest of the entrance into a bunker. He’s already making things hard for himself. Spieth battled into birdie range on the 17th, but can’t take the chance – and as the Oakmont greens start biting back, Lee Slattery two-putts for a bogey at the third.
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Johnson strolls across the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and into the section of the course housing holes 2-8. He loads up his trusty driver – and fires it way, way to the left. So far wide, it clocks a spectator on the head and rolls up to a sandwich stand. I’m not joking.
All of the leaders are starting at the first, with Day and Spieth the highest-placed of those starting from the tenth. Day drains another par putt, and Spieth digs himself out of that tricky bunker. Playing out of the spotlight could be a big help for these two.
Jordan Spieth drives lustily off the 17th, and the ball races onto the green, but trickles into the left-hand bunker. That’s unlucky. Johnson with a birdie chance on the lightning first green – and he’s got it. The leader moves to -5. Landry’s putter continues to sparkle, a ten-footer disappearing for par. Not so good for Scott Piercy; he’s double bogeyed, and vanishes from the leaderboard.
-5: D Johnson (1)
-3: Landry (1)
-2: Westwood (2), Lowry (1)
-1: Sullivan (1), Bourdy (1), Garcia (1)
Par: Scott (3), Slattery (2), Summerhays (2), Piercy (1)
Garcia comes perilously close to finding a deep ditch off the second. This has been a predictably shaky start for our Sergio. At the 15th, Day lands a tricky par to stay on +1. His putter is absolutely red hot thus far. Landry has recovered nicely to give himself a shot at par. He’s shown an impressive temperament after an awful start.
Garcia three-putts the first and joins Bourdy on one under. Tsk. On the 16th, Spieth is a whisker away from birdie with a bobbing, weaving putt from middle distance. On the first, Landry is deep in the rough after a poor tee shot. Westwood could have a share of second very soon indeed.
Garcia has a birdie chance at the first, but misreads the break so badly he’s left with a tricky par putt. Don’t do this so soon, Sergio. Gregory Bourdy is also off to a tough start, paying for missing the fairway off the tee with a bogey. He drops back to -1, and that second round purple patch seems a long time ago now.
Westwood missed that ten-footer for birdie on the first, but sums up his Saturday by draining a far tougher chance on the second. He’s up to -2, and a share of third place.
Johnson would have certainly taken a spot in the final group on Moving Day(s), but he wouldn’t have expected to be taking Oakmont on with Scott Piercy (world No67) and Andrew Landry (world No624). Johnson has had plenty of time to get tight – but his first tee shot is the only one of the three to find the fairway.
Dustin Johnson, the man who has spent most of today top of the leaderboard, whose name I’ve typed a thousand times, is about to play his first shot of the day. He’s finished in the top ten at a major 11 times without winning, and at last year’s US Open, this happened:
Jon Rahm, the only amateur to make the cut, has had an eventful start – birdie, bogey and now a majestic eagle at the 12th. Can he inspire fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia? His opening tee shot is straight and true, but that’s not where Sergio’s likely to trip himself up.
Adam Scott misjudges his second shot at the 2nd, drifting beyond the back of the green. There’s been a pattern all day of players dropping off after breaking the magic par mark; Jason Day will be testing that theory soon enough – another birdie, and he’s raced to one over, five shots behind Johnson.
Spare a thought for Kevin Kisner. The American opened the third round level with Spieth, and dropped five shots in five holes to hit ten over. He’s just birdied the sixth, though. Back on track, Kevin.
Teeing off now, the tantalising EuroGroup of Shane Lowry, Grégory Bourdy and the one and only Sergio García. They’re all on two under par.
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“Stay there,” Westwood implores his ball, and it complies – dropping smartly ten feet in front of the first pin. He looks relaxed, but there’s plenty of time for that to change. On the 14th, Spieth – now fourth favourite with the oddsmakers – has a 25-footer for par. He’s close, but not close enough, and will drop back to two over.
Adam Scott has breezed along the first, and tucks away a routine birdie to move one under! Not to be outdone, compatriot Jason Day rolls in on the 13th – his third birdie in four holes. The chasing pack have got the scent.
The contenders are kicking off their third rounds, starting with Lee Westwood, driving off the first tee. He’s alongside Louis Oosthuizen and qualifier Lee Slattery. Spieth’s charge has stalled slightly, the Texan finding the rough with his tee shot on the 14th. Here’s the leaderboard as it stands:
-4: D Johnson
-3: Landry
-2: Piercy, García, Bourdy, Lowry
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk, Westwood
Another report from Ewan Murray, our man in Oakmont – Rickie Fowler is undecided on travelling to the Olympics, with a number of golfers pulling out due to concerns over the Zika virus:
Spieth drains a third birdie in a row, and the defending champion is motoring. While McIlroy went on the offensive and ended up outside the cut, Spieth spent the end of his second round focusing on his putting – and now it’s paying off. Also cooking on gas, Jason Day – he has two birdies in his first three holes. The world No1 and No2 are in business.
Sadly, not all the big names are making said moves; Graeme McDowell three-putts the 3rd, where the pin is in a tricky position. He’s two over after three holes.
Today’s first sighting of Sergio, who tees off in around half an hour. A García-Westwood-Dustin play-off would be fun, wouldn’t it?
Spieth continues his charge, blasting straight to the green on the par-three 13th. Bubba Watson, who struggled this afternoon, rolls in a lovely downhill putt for birdie. Big names are making big moves...
DeChambeau bogeys the first, and drops to +2 – level with Spieth, who sinks a superb 15-foot putt. He’s six shots behind Dustin Johnson. who will be itching to get started now. Zach Johnson has just teed off, alongside two Australians: Marc Leishman, who took him to a playoff at last year’s Open, and 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott. That could be a group to watch.
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A couple of British hopes heading out shortly: Scotland’s Russell Knox starts on one over, while Danny Willett is at +5, but certainly knows how to finish strongly at a major. Bubba Watson and Bryson DeChambeau, who might both feel they should be closer to compatriot Dustin Johnson, have just started their third rounds.
Here’s Ewan Murray with more on the news that Rory McIlroy is out of the tournament after missing the cut:
Updated
Another birdie opportunity at Day, albeit from distance on the uncharacteristically slow and straight 11th green. He rolls it within a couple of feet, and is one under through the first two holes.
“Evening Niall” says Simon McMahon. “Rickie in Rio? Singing the Mike Nesmith classic of the same name I hope. With Sergio on backing vocals of course.”
All of the songs named Rio, this is definitely in the top two.
Spieth hoovers up the birdie chance, and finds a nice spot on the par-five 12th, on the very cusp of the rough. left of the fairway. He’s on +3 now, and all the leading men will be keeping a close eye on him.
Jason Day with a steep, turning downhill putt for birdie – and he’s got it! That’s a fine start for the world No1, who’s now four over par. Spieth is also motoring, finding the heart of the green with his approach on the 11th.
Dustin Johnson is out on the practice range, while Day and Chris Wood are working their way towards par on the tenth. Spieth nails his tee shot on the 11th to set up a potential birdie chance. Nobody has managed to pick up a stroke in this third round yet.
He is, of course, referring to Angel Cabrera, who won here in 2007. It’s as good a theory as any at this point.
Rickie in Rio? It could happen, says Ewan Murray:
Jason Day will be teeing off shortly, after playing two full rounds yesterday, and not a stroke this morning. The world No1 and PGA champion has three top-five finishes in the last five US Opens, but it’s a tall order from five over. His opening shot on the par-four 10th is solid enough, landing in the wider portion of the fairway.
Dustin Johnson is the favourite with the bookies, but we all know his struggles to land a major. They tell a different story to the leaderboard, with second placed Andrew Landry at around the same odds as Spieth, seven shots back. About right, I suppose. Sergio is available at 9-1, if you fancy parting permanently with your money.
Jordan Spieth isn’t getting much of a break – having finished his second round an hour ago, the defending champion is back under way from the 10th, currently on four over par.
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Here’s a reminder of the leaderboard as it stands:
-4: D Johnson
-3: Landry
-2: Piercy, García, Bourdy, Lowry
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk, Westwood
The top ten have just one major between them: Jim Furyk’s US Open, won in 2003. There’s plenty of champions lurking a few shots further back though. One of them, 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel has opened with a bogey, while Emiliano Grillo, wearing what looks like a 1990 West Germany shirt, is off to a flyer with a double bogey at the first.
Round three start times
The final group is all-American, with Scott Piercy joining Andrew Landry and leader Dustin Johnson. The penultimate group off the first tee is a continental affair – Ireland’s Shane Lowry, France’s Grégory Bourdy and Spain’s Sergio García.
3pm: Kisner, Koepka, Grillo
3pm*: Johnston, Oppenheim, Schwartzel
3.11: Fitzpatrick, Kuchar, Streelman
3.11*: An, Bello, Hahn
3.22: Tracy, Na, Grace
3.22*: Levin, Spieth, Dufner
3.33: McDowell, Berger, Miyazato
3.33*: Day, Wood, Haas
3.44: Kang, Fathauer, Thomas
3.44*: Rodgers, Harkins, Marshall
3.55: Steele, DeChambeau, English
3.55*: Watson, Rahm(a), Hicks
4.06: Knox, Lingmerth, Kokrak
4.06*: Wilkinson, Parker, Willett
4.17: Z Johnson, Leishman, Scott
4.17*: Hoffman, Moore, Smith
4.28: Oosthuizen, Slattery, Westwood
4.28*: Tanihara, Cabrera, Horschel
4.39: Furyk, Sullivan, Summerhays
4.39*: Manassero, Wattel
4.50: Lowry, Bourdy, García
4.50*: Lee, Kaymer
5.01: Piercy, Landry, D Johnson
*starting from 10th tee; all times are local (BST -5)
Updated
Hello again. The third round, so I’ve heard, is getting back under way at 3pm local time – so about five minutes. Still waiting on groups and start times, but there will be six hours or so of daylight for players to motor up the leaderboard ready for the final day.
If you’re tuning in, get in touch wherever you are in the world. Email niall.mcveigh@theguardian.com, or tweet @niallmcveigh.
There will now be a short break at Oakmont, as cards are marked, tee times are drawn up and greens are rolled into submission. So, I’m going to leave you for a short while. See you soon for the third round, with all to play for...
The leaderboard after the second round
To close the second round, Shane Lowry is left with a tricky par putt on the closing ninth, after exiting a bunker with an awkward wedge shot. And he’s nailed it! He’s looking good, tied for third place on two under, but nobody will be happier than Dustin Johnson, still in the lead after a morning off.
-4: D Johnson
-3: Landry
-2: Piercy García, Bourdy, Lowry
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk, Westwood
Selected others:
Even: Oosthuizen, Scott, Leishman, Z Johnson
+1: DeChambeau, Knox
+3: McDowell, Kuchar, Fitzpatrick, Grace
+4: Spieth, Schwartzel, Dufner
+5: Day, Watson, Willett, Wood, Rahm(a)
+6: Cabrera, Kaymer, Manassero, Lee
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+7: Mickelson, Ogilvy
+8: McIlroy, Casey, Donald, Rose, Donaldson, Reed
+9: Holmes
+10: Els, Goosen
+11: Snedeker, Simpson, Fowler
+12: Matsayuma
Zach Johnson steers a thirty foot birdie putt along the most unforgiving of lines, the ball breaking hard to the right and winding up 12 inches from the hole. Johnson pars to finish on 69, level after two rounds. If he can maintain that, it might end up being enough. Spieth has a similarly brutal birdie putt, and rolls it gingerly, close enough to set up par.
“When is the third round due to be played?” asks Graeme Thorn. Are they running it later today, or shifting everything a day so the final round’s on Monday?”
Good question – the third round will definitely start today, with players going out in threesomes rather than pairs, but as it’s already 2pm and the third round times yet to be confirmed, they won’t finish it today. So tomorrow, the end of the third round, and then the final round, will be completed. It’s going to be hectic.
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Russell Knox has been a model of consistency, and has a shot to card two straight 70s – but his putt drifts away, and he will finish on +1, alongside Harris English, who has matched the Scot’s scores exactly.
McIlroy, a broken man, misses his bogey putt, and cards 71, to go with 77. He finishes the day on eight over par – his first missed cut since 2013 at Muirfield. He’s played some magic shots, and some risible filth, today – but the dramatic slide from birdie to double bogey on the third will be firmly in his thoughts tonight. Willett finishes on +5, and Fowler sinks a putt out of keeping with his previous form to finish 11 (ELEVEN) over. Willett is the only one of that trio coming back later.
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Rory McIlroy will miss the cut!
Big moment for McIlroy, who’s in a bunker, 158 yards from the pin... and he clatters the front wall, and is about to miss the cut. He holes out onto the fairway, but still a long way from the green. He lands 10 or 12 feet from the pin, but the jig is up. He’ll be bitterly disappointed. Out in 31, back in 39 at best.
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Westwood sets up a shot at birdie on the 18th – and he strokes in from five feet to finish a dramatic day on one under! Spieth overcooks a long range birdie putt, but will pick up par from there. Zack Johnson judges a downhill putt perfectly for par, and stays on level par. DeChambeau has spent the best part of three days on +1 – and he’ll stay there after passing up a birdie chance.
-4: D Johnson (F)
-3: Landry (F)
-2: Piercy (F), García (F), Bourdy (F), Lowry (7*)
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk, Westwood (all F)
*started on 10th tee
Uh oh. McIlroy’s tee shot on the ninth skews away to the right, and lands somewhere in a bunker-studded patch of rough. Willett’s effort is a big improvement, straight as a die down the fairway. He’s done very nicely alongside big dogs McIlroy and Fowler today.
Nerves and wrists of steel from McIlroy, chipping within inches of the cup to set up a par. He’s been on the brink a couple of times in the last hour, but hangs in on +6 with one to play. Playing partner Willett drops a shot, and the Masters champion is back to five over.
Spieth judges his tee shot perfectly on the 17th, and is in the right spot to pick up another birdie. Westwood also finds his range on the 18th, after an up-and-down day.
Lowry finds the green on the 7th, and has time to climb the leaderboard, and sneak into the leading group alongside Dustin Johnson and Landry. Zach Johnson must have seen me tip him; he’s bogeyed the 16th, leaving just nine names in credit on the leaderboard.
New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who began his second round on -1, has had a shocker, and heads to the closing ninth on the cusp of missing the cut. He’s six over after five bogeys and a double so far. Also +6, still playing and right on the bubble – Chris Kirk, and Rory McIlroy.
Shane Lowry! The big Irishman picks up another birdie on the sixth, and with three admittedly tough holes to play, he is on two under, and tied for third. Westwood has a chance to join the ten men in the red, but can’t nail a long par putt on the 17th. Elsewhere, 2014 champion Martin Kaymer grabs a birdie at the 17th, and he’ll be sticking around.
Willett looks safe, barring disaster, landing a crucial birdie to move three shots clear of the dotted line with two holes to play. Spieth also picks up a birdie, his at the 16th with another nerveless putt. McIlroy takes par, but he’s still just a shot away from missing out. Worth noting that the world’s top five golfers – Day, Spieth, McIlroy, Watson and Fowler - are currently a combined 29 over par.
The cut
Here’s a summary of the key men at risk of missing out:
+5: Watson (8*), Willett (6*), Spieth (15), Kaymer (16)
+6: McIlroy (6*)
*started on 10th tee
A couple of players who are safe: Spain’s Jon Rahm, set to be the only amateur to make the cut after carding 69 to finish on +5; and the talented 21-year-old, Matthew Fitzpatrick, who has made mincemeat of the front nine to move from +6 to +3.
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Zach Johnson is doing very little wrong out there, and strokes in a par putt at the 15th to stay on -1. He and Shane Lowry are the only men on the course under par for the tournament, and I think the leaderboard may have a distinctly Johnsony feel over the next 24 hours.
Spieth has a birdie putt from a mile out at the 15th, his priority securing par, and he rolls expertly to within two feet. Combine his putting with McIlroy’s approach play today, and we’d have a clear favourite. As it is, both still battling to beat the cut, which seems certain to be set at six over par, with Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els among the big names set to go home early.
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Some players might feel like they’ve played ten years at Oakmont already this weekend, but the USGA have just announced that the tournament will return to Pittsburgh in 2025. It will be the tenth edition of the US Open at this fiendish course.
After dropping six shots in 11 holes, Westwood curls in a fantastic birdie putt on the 16th, and breaks into a grin. He’s on even par, and will be back for the third round in a decent spot.
Aside from Lowry and Zach Johnson, those still out on the course are more concerned about the cut than chasing the leaders. Among those at risk: Bubba Watson, whose game has disintegrated; Jordan Spieth on +5, and Rory McIlroy, now six over after another errant par putt. He is right above the red line, with three tough holes to play.
A dreadful end to the round for Bourdy, who can’t tuck away a seven-footer, and finishes with a double bogey. He was a kind bounce away from a birdie chance. Instead, Dustin Johnson is back in the outright lead – and he hasn’t played a shot today.
-4: D Johnson (F)
-3: Landry (F)
-2: Bourdy (F), Piercy (F), García (F)
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk (all F), Z Johnson (14), Lowry (4*)
*started on 10th tee
Bourdy so nearly nails a 200 yard approach shot on the 18th, but watches it trickle slowly, slowly away from the pin. From there, he takes two strokes to get back on the green, and is set for a bogey. Shane Lowry sinks a tricky putt at the 4th, his first of the day after starting on 10. He’s back onto -1 overall.
McIlroy fluffs his bunker shot on the 5th, the ball sticking on the lip and in an awkward spot. He’s suddenly in a real fight to make the cut – but he gets it up and down, and all the way to the pin, to save par! That’s what he can do, and should he be in the running this time tomorrow, he’ll remember that fondly.
Spieth can’t get a read on these greens, undercooking another birdie chance at the 13th. Zach Johnson does get a birdie, moving back into red on -1 overall. He’s very much in contention to add the US Open to the 2007 Masters, and last year’s Open championship.
A couple of tasty long putts out there, with Lee Westwood draining a par effort, and Jason Dufner, rocking a pair of colourful strides, finding the cup from thirty feet or so at the 14th. The Oakmont ground staff have seen enough, and set about making the greens even quicker for the third round.
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So unlucky for Bourdy, who plays a masterful ten-foot putt that looks in all the way – but it catches the rim, and he’ll have to settle for par. A reminder: when the second round is complete, the top 60 (plus ties) will progress – it’s looking like +6 at present. We’ll then have the draw for tee times, and the third round will begin, but not finish, later today. Got that?
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Bourdy, battling for the outright halfway lead, lays up nicely onto the green from downhill on the 17th, and will have a shot at birdie. Spieth has a chance of his own, but misses a mid-range left-to-right birdie putt, and is still at risk on +4. He’ll be doubly put out by Zach Johnson matching his par despite encountering a hazard and taking a drop on the way down.
From five under, Westwood is now one over par, after missing a long-distance par putt on the 14th by a couple of feet. He’s still in touch, on a course that’s only getting tougher, so chin up. Bryson DeChambeau, former amateur champion and flat cap sporter, is also on +1, a bogey and birdie in quick succession keeping him on a steady evens through 11 holes.
Kudos to Andrew Landry, who has recovered from a miserable first nine with two birdies in the final two holes, to finish just one over, and -3 after two rounds. That’s just one off the lead now, as Bourdy bogeys at the 16th – his first dropped shot since the opening hole. Things are happening.
-4: Bourdy (16),D Johnson (F)
-3: Landry (F)
-2: Piercy (F), García (F)
-1: Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk (all F)
McIlroy executes another fine approach shot at the third, then four-putts from 12 feet to drop two shots! Rory, Rory. He drops to +5, back in danger, and his putter is ice cold at the minute. The same goes for Watson, who has scrambled to double bogey at the fourth.
A couple of noteworthy early performances: Louis Oosthuizen channelled Chambers Bay with a 65, following up his first-round 75 to sit snugly on evens. Then there’s Yusaku Miyazoto, who celebrated an eagle with some shapes:
Bubba Watson, who had been creeping up the leaderboard, is having a stinker at the fourth, missing the green with three straight chip shots, and barely making it with the fourth. Another home favourite, defending champion Jordan Spieth, is struggling to build on two early birdies – another chance comes and goes at the tenth, and he’s stuck on three over.
Plenty of experienced names labouring on the greens, not least Westwood, who pushes a downhill birdie putt at the 12th. Zach Johnson three-putts for a bogey at the 10th, and drops to even par. Just eight players in credit now, and only Bourdy and Landry are out on the course.
After the wild, wet weather on Thursday, the sun is out and temperatures are pushing the 30-degree mark. That means the course is drying out nicely, making driving more straightforward but firming up those testing greens. Bourdy, who won the qualifying tournament in Surrey, hits an aggressive 30-yard birdie putt to well within range.
McIlroy’s putting woes continue, a tricky left-to-right birdie putt from the back of the green drifting long. Playing partner Rickie Fowler sinks a par putt to maintain his +7 status – bad news with the cut looking likely to be set at +6. It’s looking good for Jason Day, Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer on +5, and former Oakmont US Open winner Angel Cabrera at +6. Less so for Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy, among others, on +7.
Shane Lowry completes his first nine holes with a tidy two-putt for par on the 18th. The Irishman is two over for the day, but even overall, and still bang in the mix for the final two rounds.
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Oh Lee! Westwood’s charge has collapsed around the turn, with a third straight bogey at the 11th moving him to par. He was -5 after five holes. McIlroy fudges a presentable birdie butt at the first, but an excellent tee shot, struck daringly with a 3 wood, gets him in a good position on the second. The bad news for Rory, but better news for Westwood, is that the front nine is proving marginally trickier than the back nine at present.
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Bourdy leads outright! His putter is smoking, with a birdie at the 14th putting the Frenchman on -7 in the last ten, and -5 overall. Next up the 503-yard, par four 15th.
-5: Bourdy (14)
-4: D Johnson (F)
-2: Piercy (F), García (F)
-1: Landry (15), Watson (3*), Z Johnson (9), Summerhays, Sullivan, Furyk (all F)
*started on 10th tee
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McIlroy, who began from the tenth, begins his back nine on the formidable first – and he drives expertly to within ten feet of the tee! Looks like those swing issues have been put firmly to one side.
Westwood is wobbling now, picking up his fourth bogey in five holes at the tenth. He’s slipped back to -1, despite a valiant attempt at a long uphill par putt. Bubba Watson is proving to be Mr Reliable at Oakmont – he’s landed ten pars from ten today, and yesterday he apparently took Jason Day’s son along for a family cinema trip, with Papa Day toiling through his second round. Nice touch.
We have a new name at the top of the leaderboard. Bourdy drains a birdie putt on the 13th to join Johnson on -4. He’s a consistent European Tour performer, but he’s only made the cut at a US major once before – at the 2010 PGA Championship.
The story so far
Hello, everyone. It’s 11am in Pittsburgh, 4pm in London, and there’s a whole lot happening already on what looks likely to be a frantic, fascinating third day at Oakmont. So, let’s not waste any time. Here’s the current state of play:
- Dustin Johnson remains on top of the leaderboard on four under par, having finished his seond round yesterday. He, along with the other 60 or so players who make the cut, will tee off for his third round later today.
- The form golfer out on the course is France’s Grégory Boudry. The world No126 is four under for the day, and -3 for the championship, after 12 holes of his second round
- Lee Westwood led briefly after two early birdies, but has slipped back to -2, level third with Scott Piercy and HBH hero Sergio García
- Further down the field, there is a battle to make the cut, which is set at 60th place plus ties. Jason Day, Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose are waiting anxiously off-course, but Rory McIlroy is moving out of trouble, on -4 today to move to a respectable three over par
- Andrew Landry remains one under for the tournament, but the outsider’s dream is fading; he’s three over for the day after 14 holes
That’s us about up to speed. Let’s do this!
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