Rickie Fowler held a two-shot lead in the US Open before reaching the final hole of his third round. However, as the 34-year-old prepares to tee off on Sunday, he will begin the round tied for the top position.
The American golfer experienced a moment of disappointment as his five-foot par putt circled the edge of the 18th hole, while fellow American Wyndham Clark capitalized with a birdie, intensifying the competition for the final round at Los Angeles Country Club.
Rickie Fowler expressed his disappointment, stating, “Bummer to have that one slip away, but tomorrow is a whole new day.” Fowler had earlier impressed with a remarkable 69-foot putt on the 13th hole.
“That’s when the tournament truly begins.”
Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark are tied at 10-under overall, positioning them just one round away from their first major title. Fowler carded an even-par 70, while Clark shot a one-under 69. These scores marked their highest rounds thus far, as the sun-bathed fairways and greens in California led to increased difficulty and higher scores throughout the field.
Despite facing challenges with consecutive bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes, Clark displayed resilience and delivered an impressive performance during his debut weekend at the US Open.
With previous unsuccessful attempts and a modest tied-75th finish at the 2021 PGA Championship as his highest major achievement, the 29-year-old finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Nevertheless, he maintains composure and remains undeterred.
“I believe I handled everything exceptionally well,” remarked Clark.
“Although I faced the setback of consecutive bogeys, I responded with a birdie and finished with another birdie. I feel that I navigated through adversity adeptly, and I firmly believe that my best round is yet to come.”
Clark’s performance at Los Angeles Country Club remains impressive
McIlroy remains in contention
The duo faces a challenge from Rory McIlroy, who is just one stroke behind and eager to end a nine-year wait for his fifth career major. McIlroy showcased his form early on, launching a 388-yard drive from the first tee, marking the longest drive of the day.
McIlroy seeks to break a nine-year major drought
McIlroy described his performance as smart and solid golf.
McIlroy expressed feeling relatively stress-free despite the challenging conditions of a U.S. Open.
Scottie Scheffler surged into contention with a strong finish, placing him three shots behind Clark and Fowler, who lead the tournament.
Scheffler finished his round with an eagle and a birdie, shooting 68 and reigniting his chances of adding to his 2022 Masters victory.
He expressed confidence in the momentum gained, stating, “It’s definitely a significant boost going into tomorrow, and I hope to maintain the momentum.”
Schauffele falls further behind
McIlroy is the lone non-American in the top six, with Harris English trailing Scheffler by one stroke in fifth place, followed by Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele, who slipped further behind the leader after a turbulent Saturday.
Schauffele, who had started strong with a record-breaking first round alongside Fowler, struggled with three bogeys in his first five holes and three more in the final six, resulting in a 73 score.
Schauffele endured a rollercoaster third round
Remarkably, the situation could have been more dire for the seven-time champion, who impressively salvaged a bogey at the first hole after requiring three attempts to escape a bunker.
Reigning champion Matt Fitzpatrick trails Clark and Fowler by nine shots, diminishing the likelihood of a successful title defense, while Brooks Koepka’s hopes for back-to-back major victories also appear slim. The recent major champion trails Fitzpatrick by one stroke, sitting at even-par overall.
By Jack Bantock, CNN
Published 12:28 AM EDT, Sun June 18, 2023
