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Home / Sport / Golf

US Open Golf: Stars in the mix ahead of exciting final day

AP
18 Jun, 2023 04:00 AM5 mins to read

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Rickie Fowler missed a short putt on the final hole. Photo / AP
Rickie Fowler missed a short putt on the final hole. Photo / AP

Rickie Fowler missed a short putt on the final hole. Photo / AP

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Rickie Fowler brought the buzz to the US Open with a 70-foot birdie putt, only to lose the lead by missing from 3 1/2 feet on the final hole, giving him a share of the lead with Wyndham Clark and setting up a final day filled with possibilities.

Right there with them was Rory McIlroy. He played a steady hand — one birdie and one bogey over his last 14 holes on a course that finally started to play like a US Open. McIlroy had a 69 that left him one shot behind, poised to end nine long years without a major.

“It’s nice to be in the hunt,” McIlroy said.

Fowler had to settle for an even-par 70. Clark escaped big trouble from the barranca with a six-foot bogey putt on the 17th to stay close, and then boldly took on a tight left pin at the 18th for a six-foot birdie for a 69 that allowed him to catch Fowler.

The final hour brought a surprise at every turn. A long day of blazing sunshine baking the North course at Los Angeles Country Club gave way to the infamous marine layer that brought out some sweatshirts late in the day.

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Scottie Scheffler, the No 1 player in the world, never looked to be in the mix until he closed out his round of 68 by holing a seven-iron from 196 yards on the 17th hole and making a 20-foot birdie putt that put him in the penultimate group with McIlroy.

For so many others, it didn’t take much to lose ground.

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Xander Schauffele began his round by taking three shots to get out of a fairway bunker, making three bogeys in five holes, only to get it all back before losing ground at the end with a series of poor drives. He was at 73, five shots back.

Harris English kept pace with the leaders until he missed short putts, big drives and ended his day with a chip shot from the deep collar around the 18th green that didn’t move the ball. His fourth bogey of the back nine gave him a 71, leaving him four shots behind.

Kiwi Ryan Fox mixed an excellent day tee-to-green with a below-average putting round to shoot one-under, and move to one-over for the tournament, in a share of 32nd.

This is the third time Fowler has been in the final group at a major — and the first time he doesn’t have anyone in front of him, and he was so close to being the one to chase.

“Just a bummer. It would be nice for that one to go in,” Fowler said about his short miss. “Really doesn’t matter — having the lead, being one back, two back — you’re going to have to play good golf.”

While this is Fowler’s third time in the final group of a major, for Clark it’s his third time playing in the final round of a major. He has been on the rise this year, winning at Quail Hollow last month for his first PGA Tour win.

McIlroy had a chance to end his major drought last summer at St Andrews when he shared the lead going into the final round, only for Cam Smith to blow past him. He has been in position twice in the last two weeks, at the Memorial and Canadian Open, only to turn in a dud of a final round.

The stakes are enormous this time, on this stage. And he has the experience, though he wasn’t sure to make of that.

“It’s been such a long time since I’ve done it,” said McIlroy, whose last major was at the PGA Championship in 2014. “I’m going out there to try to execute a game plan, and I feel like over the last three days I’ve executed that game plan really, really well. And I just need to do that for one more day.”

Scheffler is suddenly in the mix, all because of one remarkable shot and one big putt. He has been the model of consistency this year, even in the majors — a tie for 10th at the Masters, a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship.

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“I’m standing there on 17 tee and just made another bogey, and I’m looking up at the board and I’m seven shots back and I’m thinking maybe I can steal one shot coming in,” Scheffler said.

He stole three and now is well within range.

The scores don’t indicate this is the toughest test in golf, but it’s likely to feel like way for the players chasing the silver trophy — Fowler and Clark going for their first, McIlroy hopeful of a win that will take attention away from what has been keeping him from another.

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