Irishman Shane Lowry tightened his grip on the US Open by seizing a four-shot lead when the weather-delayed third round was finally completed on a sun-splashed yesterday morning at Oakmont Country Club.
Two ahead overnight in the second major championship of the year, Lowry birdied two of his last four holes to get to seven-under 203 with a first Grand Slam title looming in his sights. The burly 29-year-old from Clara in County Offaly did well to salvage a par at the last, coolly sinking a 10-footer to card a five-under 65 on one of the toughest golf courses in the world before pumping his fist in delight.
“It was a really good morning’s work for me and I am really looking forward to getting out there in the afternoon and seeing what I can do,” said Lowry, who won the biggest title of his career at the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. “It’s one of the best rounds of my career, a 65 on this course. I just need to stay in the moment, stay patient. It’s going to be tough. I mean, let’s be honest, I’ve already visualized myself winning. Even out walking around the course this morning you do think about that,” said world number 41 Lowry, a three-times winner on the European Tour who tied for ninth in last year’s US Open at Chambers Bay.
Dustin Johnson, the tournament leader after 36 holes, carded a 71 to share second place with fellow American and PGA Tour rookie Andrew Landry, the surprise first-round pacesetter who drained a 45-foot birdie putt at the last for an even 70.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in my game right now,” said Johnson, a nine-times champion on the PGA Tour who missed a three-foot putt at the final hole to hand last year’s US Open to Jordan Spieth. “I feel like I’m swinging really well. Just got to go out and play a good, solid round of golf and see what happens.”
England’s former world number one Lee Westwood (69), who like every other player in the top eight at Oakmont after 54 holes is seeking a first major title, and American Daniel Summerhays (69) were a further stroke back at two-under.
The only other player under par after the third round holes was South African Branden Grace, who had surged into contention with a six-birdie 66 on Saturday to set the clubhouse lead overnight at one-under 209. Two strokes behind Grace in a tie for ninth was Australian world number one Jason Day, who completed a matching 66 on Saturday that included an eagle at the par-five fourth.
Lowry made an ideal start on a sunny morning at Oakmont, hitting his approach at the par-four 15th to 10 feet and sinking the birdie putt to extend his lead to four shots at six under.
That advantage was soon cut to three when the long-hitting Johnson, playing one group behind, followed suit by rolling in a 30-footer at the 15th to get to three under. Lowry pocketed his second birdie of the day at the driveable par-four 17th, his tee shot settling just above a bunker 50 yards short of the hole from where he played a delicate chip to seven feet and sank the putt.
Leading third round scores
203 - Shane Lowry (IRL) 68-70-65
207 - Dustin Johnson (USA) 67-69-71, Andrew Landry (USA) 66-71-70
208 - Daniel Summerhays (USA) 74-65-69, Lee Westwood (Eng) 67-72-69
209 - Branden Grace (RSA) 73-70-66
210 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 68-70-72, Scott Piercy (USA) 68-70-72
211 - Jason Day (AUS) 76-69-66, Zach Johnson (USA) 71-69-71, Bryson DeChambeau (USA) 71-70-70
212 - Adam Scott (AUS) 71-69-72, Jason Dufner (USA) 73-71-68, Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR) 70-72-70, Kevin Streelman (USA) 69-74-69, Kevin Na (USA) 75-68-69, Daniel Berger (USA) 70-72-70, Brendan Steele (USA) 71-71-70, Derek Fathauer (USA) 73-69-70, Billy Horschel (USA) 72-74-66
213 - Jim Furyk (USA) 71-68-74, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 76-68-69, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 71-67-75, Patrick Rodgers (USA) 73-72-68, Yusaku Miyazato (JPN) 73-69-71, Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) 74-70-69, Harris English 70-71-72

PGA Tour rookie Landry living his US Open dream
Oakmont, Pennsylvania: Little-known American Andrew Landry has been living a US Open dream at Oakmont Country Club and he was still pinching himself after he earned a spot in the lead pairing for final round, which was scheduled for yesterday late afternoon.
The 28-year-old PGA Tour rookie birdied his last two holes, sinking a 45-foot putt at the par-four last, to card a level-par 70 and finish the weather-delayed third round in a tie for second, four strokes behind pacesetting Irishman Shane Lowry.
“Who can’t be excited about that?” Landry said of his final-round pairing after posting a three-under total of 207. That’s what you always hope for and dream for. Just got to continue to stick to my game plan. Who knows what can happen?” Landry, who earned his spot at Oakmont for his first ever major appearance via a sectional qualifier in Memphis, had five holes to play when he returned to the course yesterday and he began falteringly with bogeys on 13 and 14.
“Obviously that kind of put me a little bit behind the eight-ball, and I said, ‘Just keep it under par and still have some birdie opportunities’,” said Landry.
He certainly delivered, coming close to an eagle at the driveable par-four 17th where he comfortably two-putted from 35 feet for birdie before he unexpectedly drained his monster putt at the last. Landry, whose best PGA Tour finish was a tie for 41st at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, had lofty hopes of finishing in the top 10 when he first arrived at Oakmont, and that remains his goal.
“No change, I’m still here,” said the world number 624. “Just same exact person. Same exact beliefs, and I’m just sticking to my game plan. That’s all I can say.”