He gave it back instantly, but Adam Scott briefly joined a share of the lead at the US Open in a powerful two-hole stretch in which he kept overnight leader Sam Burns within jabbing distance.
After an opening bogey which put him two back of Burns, and another at the third, Scott steadied the ship with an eagle putt that burned the edge at the fourth hole, allowing a tap-in birdie. When Burns bogeyed the par-4 fifth, and Scott drained a nervy four-footer for par, he joined Burns atop the leaderboard at two-under-par through five holes.
On the par-3 sixth, Scott hit a beautiful tee shot but made a sloppy bogey with a three-putt.
Through seven holes, when play was suspended due to inclement weather, Burns was two-under and Scott was one-under. Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland were one-over.
Play was suspended indefinitely just after 4pm local (6am AEST) and it could last for more than one hour.
9am: If you’ve been commuting to work for the past hour or so, you’ve missed a lot.
After the weather delay, Scott has done his best to hang in there and somehow – at four-over for his first 12 holes – the Queenslander has managed to stay TIED FOR THE LEAD! The wheels are coming off the Burns bus.
LIV Golfers have entered the chat, too. Tyrrell Hatton joined the lead, as did Carlos Ortiz. The LIV duo sat at one-over alongside Burns and Scott. Viktor Hovland and Bob MacIntyre sat two-over.
Check back later for more updates…
Earlier: A good omen?
The Queenslander is a clear sentimental favourite at Oakmont, given the crowds know the 44-year-old may not have too many opportunities left.
“I have a nice… put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it’s all said and done,” said Scott after the third round, while playing in his 24th US Open and 96th consecutive major. “This is all I’m really playing for are these big events. There’s probably eight of them off the top of my mind a year that I really want to win.”
Scott’s sentiments are reminiscent of Justin Rose’s when he got into the hunt last year at the Open Championship at Royal Troon and two months ago at the Masters. In finishing second in both events, there was a bittersweet feeling among fans and spectators happy for Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy in victory, but disappointed in the same light that a popular aging veteran missed out on the chance to add to his legacy.
Of course Scott’s game gives fans reason to be optimistic about his chances on Sunday. He’s driving the ball superbly—he’s second in strokes gained/off the tee. He also ranks seventh in strokes gained/approach. Suffice it to say, with the premium Oakmont places on hitting fairways and greens, Scott is following a winning gameplan at Oakmont.
Yet in looking for more reason to believe in Scott come Sunday, there’s an intriguing through line for many of the golfers who have prevailed at Oakmont. Of the previous nine winners of the US Open at Oakmont, four of them also won at another famed golf course: Augusta National.
Ben Hogan, 1953 US Open
Jack Nicklaus, 1962, US Open
Angel Cabrera, 2007 US Open
Dustin Johnson, 2016 US Open
Additionally, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead both won PGA Championships at Oakmont and were also Masters winners as well.
Oh, and then there’s Bobby Jones, won the 1925 US Amateur at Oakmont… and then founded Augusta National.
