116TH U.S. OPEN

Work to be done on the U.S. Open's final day

Lowry emerges, contenders scrambling

Shane Lowry called a one-stroke penalty on himself after his ball moved on the 16th green of the second round, but the Irishman still managed to hold a two-shot lead over Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) at the U.S. Open on Saturday when third-round play was suspended because of darkness.
Shane Lowry called a one-stroke penalty on himself after his ball moved on the 16th green of the second round, but the Irishman still managed to hold a two-shot lead over Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) at the U.S. Open on Saturday when third-round play was suspended because of darkness.

OAKMONT, Pa. -- Shane Lowry kept his cool after a careless penalty and walked off Oakmont after a marathon Saturday with a two-shot lead in the U.S. Open.

photo

AP

English golfer Lee Westwood is in a three-way tie for third after the third round of the U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pa., was suspended Saturday because of darkness.

Stalled by rain in the first round, the tournament is nearly back on schedule and poised for a big finish.

At a glance

OAKMONT, Pa. — A brief look at the Saturday’s play in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club (only 42 of 67 players who made the cut have completed three rounds because of a rain-suspended first round):

SHOT OF THE DAY Westwood holed a wedge from 130 yards in the fairway at No. 5 for an eagle.

TAKE THE REST OF THE WEEKEND OFF You could stage a pretty good tournament with the major champions and stars who missed the cut — Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Rickie Fowler.

KEY STAT: There have been 14 eagles through three days; Westwood is the only player with more than one and he holed out twice from the fairway to manage the feat.

QUOTEWORTHY: “To hole that second putt was massive for me, and massive for my whole day.” — Lowry, who made an 8-footer for bogey after he was penalized a shot at No. 16 in the second round because his ball moved as he was about to putt.

TELEVISION (all times Central): 6 a.m-8 a.m., FS1; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fox.

— The Associated Press

Lowry, looking to give Irish golf its 10th major in the past 10 years, came within inches of his sixth birdie of the round on No. 14. He tapped in for par and headed back to the clubhouse when play was suspended by darkness.

He was at 5-under par and has to return this morning at 7 a.m. Central to play the final four holes.

Lowry is one of 25 golfers who need to finish their third rounds before pairings and tee times can be drawn up for the final round.

Two shots behind was former Arkansas Razorback Andrew Landry, in his first U.S. Open and playing like he knows how to cope with the toughest test in golf. Landry, 28, hasn't flinched, even after tumbling down the leaderboard in his second round, and playing alongside long-hitting Dustin Johnson in the third round. He had five holes left.

Another former Razorback, David Lingmerth, is at 6 over after shooting a 75 in the third round and is tied for 40th.

Right behind Landry are three players who feel overdue to win their first major.

That starts with Johnson, who had the 36-hole lead and started out like he wanted to run away from the field when he stuffed his approach to 5 feet below the hole for a birdie. But a chip that came back to his feet on No. 3 and led to double bogey stalled him, and Johnson started dropping shots.

He was at 2 under through 13 holes, still very much a factor as he tries to atone for his gaffe on the 18th hole at Chambers Bay last year in the U.S. Open. Also three shots back were Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who between them have played 142 majors without winning.

Sunday becomes somewhat of a sprint after two elongated days of play.

Jason Day began his big run early. The world's No. 1 player opened with a 76 and first had to worry about making the cut. He did, with one shot to spare at 5 over, and then went on a tear of four birdies in five holes to start his third round. Day posted a 69 in the morning and a 66 in the afternoon and at one point was within in four shots of the lead.

He was at 1-over 211 and left the course six shots behind.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth looked as though he might join Day when he ran off three consecutive birdies early in the third round. But the Texan fell back with a double bogey on No. 2 (his 11th hole) and had to settle for a 70 and was nine shots behind Lowry.

"Come out tomorrow and try to pull a Johnny Miller," Spieth, 22, said.

Miller famously closed with a 63 at Oakmont to win the 1973 U.S. Open, which remains the greatest final round by a major champion. But the course was drenched that Sunday, and that won't be the case now.

Even though Oakmont absorbed nearly 3 inches of rain on the opening day and remained soft enough for shots to spin ever so slightly, it was clear the hot sun began to bake it out and it likely will be fierce for the final round.

The leader in the clubhouse when the day ended was Branden Grace, who last year at Chambers Bay was tied for the lead until he hit 3-wood onto the train track and out-of-bounds for a double bogey that cost him. Good news for the South African: A train can be heard from Oakmont, but not hit.

Grace pieced together a 66 to reach 1-under 209, four shots behind Lowry.

Lowry picked up his biggest victory last summer a few hours away at Firestone when he won the Bridgestone Invitational. Now he's primed for more Irish success. The run began with Padraig Harrington claiming three majors in 2007 and 2008, and has been carried by the Northern Ireland trio of Rory McIlroy (four majors), Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke.

"We all know that this course can jump up and bite you in a split second," Lowry said. "I'm two ahead with 22 holes left. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. These are the best golfers in the world behind me. I have to go out there and do what I've been doing all week. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. This is exactly where you want to be. I've been beating myself up over the last six months trying to get in this position.

"I'm here now. I might as well enjoy it while I'm here."

It wasn't so enjoyable earlier in the day when he was lining up a 30-foot birdie putt and nudged the ball with his putter. It moved ever so slightly, enough for Lowry to see, and he turned in disgust to call over an official, then held the putter behind his neck as if he wanted to snap it.

He took the one-shot penalty and then saved his mood with an 8-foot bogey putt.

"To hole that second putt was massive for me and massive for my whole day," Lowry said.

Some of the best players weren't around for the afternoon. McIlroy needed a par on the final hole to make the cut and took double bogey. Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose also missed the cut.

Sports on 06/19/2016

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