SOUTHAMPTON (New York): American Wyndham Clark seized a sixstroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the US Open while top-ranked Scottie Scheffler charged into contention for a historic win.
Clark sank a four-foot eagle putt at the par-five 16th on the way to firing a level-par 70 at windy Shinnecock to stand on sevenunder 203 after 54 holes.
The only golfer to lose a major with a lead of six or more entering the final round was Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.
Scheffler fired a 69 one of just two sub-par rounds on the day to claim a share of second on one-under 209.
Scheffler opened with two bogeys for only the fourth time in 105 major rounds, but birdied four of his first seven holes on the back nine before a bogey at the par-three 17th and a closing par. Joining Scheffler on 209 were fellow Americans Sam Stevens and Sahith Theegala, whose tap-in at 18 was his lone birdie of the day, plus South Korean Tom Kim, who shot 72 after bogeys on three of his first six holes.
Clark opened with a three-putt bogey, tapped in for birdie at the par-five fifth but stumbled again to bogey eight after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.
He sank a five-foot birdie putt at 14 only to bogey 15 after a par putt miss from inside four feet, then answered with a four-foot eagle putt at the par-five 16th.
After his bogey-bogey start, Scheffler parred through the front nine, birdied the 10th from just inside eight feet and reeled off three birdies in a row.
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy fired a 73 to stand 10 adrift on 213. The sixtime major winner birdied the fifth, sixth and seventh holes but had five bogeys in a back-nine collapse.-AFP