Rickie Fowler put together a steady stretch before a three-putt bogey on the last hole in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, dropping him into a tie with Wyndham Clark going into the final round.
Both golfers are at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland.
Fowler shot even-par 70, but Clark’s 69 allowed him to pull even after a long stretch atop the leaderboard at Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course.
McIlroy used a 69 to go to 9 under after 54 holes.
After some late twists and turns, a two-shot swing on the last hole changed the complexion.
Fowler has never won a major and he should have a good idea of how difficult it will be after going through Saturday’s challenges.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (68) is in range in fourth place at 7 under.
Clark was in the lead by a shot when making the turn at 2-under for the round, but then he encountered a troubling stretch.
On No. 10, Fowler saved par from the high greenside rough. On the same hole, Clark’s bid to go up by two strokes failed when his birdie attempt skimmed the cup. There was a tie for first place after Clark’s bogey on the next hole.
On No. 12, Clark didn’t get out of the greenside rough with a chip that popped up and went about a foot, so that cost him a share of the top spot.
Fowler was at 11 under following a 69-foot birdie putt on No. 13.
After a bogey on No. 17 caused Clark to slip two shots back, perhaps his best shot of the round was the approach on No. 18. He converted the birdie putt. Fowler was overzealous on his first putt on the hole, costing him the lead when he was off the mark on the second putt.
Scheffler ended the round with an eagle and a birdie. His second shot from 196 yards out on the par-4 17th hole rolled in.
Harris English was tied with Scheffler before trouble near the 18th green in the thick rough. He notched bogey, so his 71 was his worst round of the week by four shots.
South Korean Tom Kim’s 66 was the best score of the day, putting him at 3 under and tied for ninth place.
–Field Level Media