OAKMONT: Sam Burns outdueled fellow American J.J. Spaun down the stretch to grab a onestroke lead after Saturday`s third round of the US Open, setting the stage for final day showdown at punishing Oakmont.

Burns fired a one-under par 69 to stand on four-under 206 after 54 holes with Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, and Spaun sharing second on 207 and Norway`s Viktor Hovland fourth on 209.Burns, whose most recent win came at the 2023 WGC Match Play, and Spaun each found the right rough at 18 but Burns made the green and two-putted for par while Burns found a bunker and twoputted for bogey.

Spaun, whose only PGA Tour win came at the 2022 Texas Open, shot 69 and was happy despite the setback at 18.

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, birdied three of the last six holes to fire a 67.The 44-year-old can be the secondoldest US Open winner after American Hale Irwin, who was 45 when he won in 1990. Scott would also have the longest gap between major titles.

Hovland blasted out of a bunker to set up a tap-in bogey at 17, but made bogey from a bunker at 18 to shoot 70.

The four will play in the last two pairings once again in a tensionpacked final round for the $4.3 million top prize.Last-group playing partners Burns and Spaun traded the lead all day, a wild early exchange ending when Burns made a tap-in birdie at the fifth to match Spaun at threeunder.

Burns sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-three 13th but fell back with a bogey at 16. Both birdied the 17th before the closing drama.

Mexico`s Carlos Ortiz fired a 67 to stand fifth on level par 210, a stumble at the last hole dooming a bogeyfree bid.Ortiz made the cut for only the third time in 10 majors and has never finished in a major top 50.

Stars struggled with secondranked Rory McIlroy making bogeys on three of his last five holes to fire a 74 and stand on 220.

McIlroy had bogeys on the third and ninth holes, followed a birdie at 10 with bogeys at 11, 14 and 16 and closed birdie-bogey.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who wonlastmonth`sPGA Championship, fired a 70 to stand on 214.-AFP