The third round of the 2023 U.S. Open was completed on Saturday afternoon as five players seemed to break away from the field on moving day.
The adrenaline of playing on the weekend brought the pressure of major championship golf ahead of the final 18 holes tomorrow.
Here are four takeaways from the third round of the 123rd U.S. Open.
How the U.S. Open field fared on a short 80-yard hole
Leading up to Saturday, one of the big topics was the idea of the 15th hole measuring around 80 yards. The 15th had some versatility, as it could play anywhere between 80 and 145 yards.
Just think, even with two long par-3s, the United States Golf Association (USGA) also had a hole that was just 80 yards.
That came into fruition in Saturday’s third round. As simple as hitting a ball 80 yards may sound, it was a lot more difficult because of wind being in play as well as the greens firming all around the course, including on the 15th.
Marking at 81 yards, it became the shortest hole in U.S. Open history, and players took advantage of the fourth easiest hole of the day as the field was averaging a little under par.
In total, there were 11 birdies, 49 pars, and four bogeys, along with a double bogey for a historic U.S. Open hole, measuring just double digits.
Related: US Open: 4 biggest takeaways from Round 2, including Wyndham Clark’s impressive day
Scottie Scheffler & Rory McIlroy ascend up leaderboard
Two players who were lurking behind the trio of Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, and Wyndham Clark over the first two days were World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and World No. 3 Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy started off his day strong, birdieing two of his first three holes on the par-5 first and the par-4 third. McIlroy was able to get his approach shot to 16 feet setting up a two-putt for birdie. On the third, McIlroy’s approach was able to get to about a dozen feet and was able to execute the shot for birdie.
He would then eventually give those strokes back with bogeys on the par-3 fourth and the par-4 13th. McIlroy was able to rebound his bogey with a birdie on 14, en route to 1-under 69 on the day as he looks to go after his major title in nine years tomorrow.
On the other hand, Scheffler remained at par through his first nine holes with two birdies and two bogeys. Then on the back nine, despite a bogey on the par-4 13th, he rebounded with a birdie on the par-5 14th.
Then after another bogey on the par-4 16th, Scheffler had a finish of a lifetime. He holed out on the par-4 17th from 196 yards for an eagle and made a 22-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole to be at -7 and inside the top 5 heading into Sunday.
Twelve months ago, Scheffler was in contention with Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick but was unable to keep up with both of them, losing by one stroke to Fitzpatrick with Zalatoris.
Related: 2023 U.S. Open: TV schedule, predictions, tee times, and more
Rickie Fowler hangs on, Xander Schauffele struggles
The two Southern California natives at the top of the leaderboard had opposite days during the third round.
Rickie Fowler, who entered the day with 18 birdies through 36 holes, had a little less of a roller coaster afternoon compared to Friday’s second round. Like Scheffler, Fowler was even through his first nine holes with two birdies and two bogeys.
As Scheffler made a 196-yard hole out for eagle, Fowler, who grew up about 90 minutes from Los Angeles Country Club in Murrieta, had a spark of his own with a 69-foot birdie putt on the par-4 13th to get him back into the red numbers on the day.
Par remained a player’s best friend on the course on Saturday and that’s what Fowler leaned on. After his birdie on 13, he parred four of his final five holes to have his first 54-hole lead at a major tournament heading into tomorrow’s final round.
Fowler, who finished second during the 2014 U.S. Open in the midst of four top 5s during all four majors that season, is looking to finish on top for the first time at a major tournament tomorrow.
With Schauffele, he struggled right from the beginning as it took him three shots to get out of the fairway bunker on the first hole, leading to a bogey. He then bogeyed the par-4 third and par-4 fifth and it was looking like his chances of winning the tournament would be slim.
But the San Diego native knew that he was better than that, recording three birdies in a four-hole stretch, including a 19-footer on the par-3 ninth.
Ultimately, the thing that hurt Schauffele was his driver, only hitting four of 13 fairways during the third round. This also came after ranking second among the field in strokes gained: off the tee and hitting 10 of 13 fairways in the second round.
If Schauffele is able to get the driver going tomorrow, he can easily find his way back to the top of the leaderboard tomorrow and possibly host the U.S. Open trophy.
Related: 2023 U.S. Open: 5 big storylines to watch, including PGA-LIV merger
Tom Kim makes his jump on moving day
Moving day is for players to either climb up the leaderboard or fall back on the penultimate 18 holes on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Tom Kim ensured he was one player who had a positive moving day on Saturday rather than a faltering third round at the U.S. Open.
Kim, who finished 23rd in his first U.S. Open start last year, recorded the best round of the day with a 4-under 66 under tough conditions with the course firming up as the day progressed.
He went a bogey-free 6-under 29 on the front nine, which tied the lowest nine-hole score in U.S. Open history. Kim led the field in strokes gained: putting, taking off 3.62 shots and was also seventh in strokes gained: approach.
Going into Sunday’s final round, Kim sits at -3 and has an opportunity to get into contention of the U.S. Open. Â
U.S. Open Round 3 leaderboard
| Position | Player | Score | Today |
| T1 | Wyndham Clark | -10 | -1 |
| Rickie Fowler | -10 | E | |
| 3 | Rory McIlroy | -9 | -1 |
| 4 | Scottie Scheffler | -7 | -2 |
| 5 | Harris English | -6 | -1 |
| T6 | Dustin Johnson | -5 | +1 |
| Xander Schauffele | -5 | +3 | |
| 8 | Ryutaro Nagano | -4 | -2 |
| T9 | Tom Kim | -3 | -4 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | -3 | -2 | |
| Cameron Smith | -3 | +1 | |
| T12 | Hideki Matsuyama | -2 | -3 |
| Viktor Hovland | -2 | -1 | |
| Min Woo Lee | -2 | +4 | |
| T15 | Patrick Cantlay | -1 | -3 |
| Padraig Harrington | -1 | -3 | |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | -1 | -2 | |
| Collin Morikawa | -1 | -1 | |
| Tony Finau | -1 | +2 | |
| T20 | Shane Lowry | E | -2 |
| Russell Henley | E | -2 | |
| Cameron Young | E | -2 | |
| Tyrrell Hatton | E | -1 | |
| Brooks Koepka | E | E | |
| Joaquin Niemann | E | E | |
| Si Woo Kim | E | +1 | |
| Keith Mitchell | E | +1 | |
| Sam Burns | E | +1 | |
| Eric Cole | E | +1 | |
| Justin Suh | E | +2 | |
| Brian Harman | E | +2 | |
| T32 | Ryan Fox | +1 | -1 |
| Patrick Rodgers | +1 | +1 | |
| Billy Horschel | +1 | +1 | |
| Denny McCarthy | +1 | +3 | |
| Gary Woodland | +1 | +3 | |
| Dylan Wu | +1 | +3 | |
| T38 | Jon Rahm | +2 | E |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +2 | E | |
| Sam Stevens | +2 | E | |
| Sergio Garcia | +2 | +1 | |
| Kevin Streelman | +2 | +1 | |
| Austin Eckroat | +2 | +3 | |
| Andrew Putnam | +2 | +3 | |
| T45 | Sahith Theegala | +3 | +3 |
| Charley Hoffman | +3 | +5 | |
| T47 | Sebastian Munoz | +4 | +2 |
| Nick Hardy | +4 | +5 | |
| Sam Bennett | +4 | +9 | |
| T50 | Jordan Smith | +5 | +4 |
| Gordon Sargent (a) | +5 | +5 | |
| Yuto Katsuragawa | +5 | +5 | |
| Mackenzie Hughes | +5 | +5 | |
| Ryan Gerard | +5 | +6 | |
| T55 | Adam Hadwin | +6 | +4 |
| Abraham Ancer | +6 | +4 | |
| Aldrich Potgieter (a) | +6 | +4 | |
| Romain Langasque | +6 | +7 | |
| T59 | David Puig | +7 | +5 |
| Ben Carr (a) | +7 | +5 | |
| T61 | Maxwell Moldovan (a) | +8 | +6 |
| Adam Svensson | +8 | +7 | |
| Jacob Solomon | +8 | +7 | |
| 64 | Patrick Reed | +9 | +8 |
| 65 | Ryo Ishikawa | +10 | +8 |
| The following players missed the cut at: +2 | |||
| Kyle Mueller | CUT | CUT | |
| Taylor Moore | CUT | CUT | |
| Paul Barjon | CUT | CUT | |
| Phil Mickelson | CUT | CUT | |
| Nico Echavarria | CUT | CUT | |
| Davis Thompson | CUT | CUT | |
| Patrick Cover | CUT | CUT | |
| Jordan Spieth | CUT | CUT | |
| Mito Pereira | CUT | CUT | |
| Adrian Meronk | CUT | CUT | |
| Andy Svoboda | CUT | CUT | |
| Alex Noren | CUT | CUT | |
| Vincent Norrman | CUT | CUT | |
| Thriston Lawrence | CUT | CUT | |
| Justin Rose | CUT | CUT | |
| Tom Hoge | CUT | CUT | |
| Sepp Straka | CUT | CUT | |
| Thomas Pieters | CUT | CUT | |
| Simon Forsstrom | CUT | CUT | |
| Adam Schenk | CUT | CUT | |
| Chris Kirk | CUT | CUT | |
| Nick Taylor | CUT | CUT | |
| J.J. Grey | CUT | CUT | |
| Seamus Power | CUT | CUT | |
| Max Homa | CUT | CUT | |
| Corey Conners | CUT | CUT | |
| Lucas Herbert | CUT | CUT | |
| Francesco Molinari | CUT | CUT | |
| Scott Stallings | CUT | CUT | |
| Ross Fisher | CUT | CUT | |
| Emiliano Grillo | CUT | CUT | |
| Stewart Cink | CUT | CUT | |
| Austen Truslow | CUT | CUT | |
| Taylor Pendrith | CUT | CUT | |
| Kurt Kitayama | CUT | CUT | |
| J.T. Poston | CUT | CUT | |
| Adam Scott | CUT | CUT | |
| Deon Germishuys | CUT | CUT | |
| Wilco Nienaber | CUT | CUT | |
| Mac Meissner | CUT | CUT | |
| Barclay Brown (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Roger Sloan | CUT | CUT | |
| Jordan Gumberg | CUT | CUT | |
| Matt Kuchar | CUT | CUT | |
| Martin Kaymer | CUT | CUT | |
| Michael Thorbjornsen (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Keegan Bradley | CUT | CUT | |
| Preston Summerhays (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Bastien Amat (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Luke List | CUT | CUT | |
| Brent Grant | CUT | CUT | |
| Sungjae Im | CUT | CUT | |
| Taylor Montgomery | CUT | CUT | |
| Ryan Armour | CUT | CUT | |
| David Nyfjall | CUT | CUT | |
| Jens Dantorp | CUT | CUT | |
| Michael Kim | CUT | CUT | |
| Corey Pereira | CUT | CUT | |
| Alejandro del Rey | CUT | CUT | |
| Jesse Schutte | CUT | CUT | |
| Gunn Charoenkul | CUT | CUT | |
| Olin Browne Jr. | CUT | CUT | |
| Nick Dunlap (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Pablo Larrazabal | CUT | CUT | |
| K.H. Lee | CUT | CUT | |
| Jason Day | CUT | CUT | |
| Wenyi Ding (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Christian Cavaliere (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Paul Haley II | CUT | CUT | |
| Matthieu Pavon | CUT | CUT | |
| Michael Brennan (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Omar Morales (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Karl Vilips | CUT | CUT | |
| Carlos Ortiz | CUT | CUT | |
| Aaron Wise | CUT | CUT | |
| Berry Henson | CUT | CUT | |
| Carson Young | CUT | CUT | |
| Frankie Capan III | CUT | CUT | |
| Victor Perez | CUT | CUT | |
| Alex Schaake | CUT | CUT | |
| Cam Davis | CUT | CUT | |
| Hayden Buckley | CUT | CUT | |
| Matthew McClean (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Joel Dahmen | CUT | CUT | |
| Alexander Yang (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| Justin Thomas | CUT | CUT | |
| Isaac Simmons (a) | CUT | CUT | |
| David Horsey | CUT | CUT | |
| Brendan Vlades | CUT | CUT | |
| Hank Lebioda | CUT | CUT |