Golf: DeChambeau Three Ahead Of McIlroy; Bhatia T-16 At US Open

Indian American Akshay Bhatia: Rory McIlroy was in contention to end his 10-year Major drought, as he was tied second with two others, but Bryson DeChambeau took the three-shot lead in the round 3 at the US Open golf Championships.

DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion in 2020, carded 3-under-par 67 for a 54-hole total of 7-under 203. He took a three-shot lead into the final round over Rory McIlroy (69), Patrick Cantlay (70) and Matthieu Pavon (69).

In the time since he won his last Major in 2014, McIlroy had been runner-up three times, been third once and has been in Top-5 four other times. In eight Majors starts in 2022 and 2023, he was in Top-8 seven times and missed the cut once, at the 2023 Masters. This year he was T-22 at Masters and T-12 at PGA.

The top Asians are Hideki Matsuyama (70) in Tied-fifth and Tom Kim (71) in T-9.

Aaron Rai of England, whose parents have an Indian connection, was T-12 after a third round 68, while Indian American Akshay Bhatia (73) is T-16 and Sahith Theegala (72) is T-47.

DeChambeau, who is now so different from the ‘bulked-up’ golfer he was when he won the US Open in 2020, unleased the same power despite needing trainers to work on his ‘tight’ hips. He delivered a 347-yard drive soon after and it fetched him a birdie, too. He shot 3-under 67 and set up a three-shot lead.

Getting along well with the crowds, DeChambeau was in full flow and entertained the spectators, too. Now he is 7-under 203 and the only player to post three straight rounds of 60s in a U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

DeChambeau was runner-up by one shot last month in the PGA Championship and he had a top 10 at the Masters in April.

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg, who started the third round with a one-shot lead, made a triple on the 13th and fell back into tied fifth Hideki Matsuyama (70). They are five behind DeChambeau.

McIlroy birdied third, bogeyed sixth and bogeyed ninth to turn in 1-under. On the back nine, he birdied the 12th and the 14th and dropped a bogey on the 15th and the 17th in a roller coaster of a round for 69.

No Asian has won the US Open, but Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama showed his resilience to remain in contention after an even-par 70 which left him five shots behind third round leader, DeChambeau.

The 32-year-old Matsuyama traded four birdies against as many bogeys at Pinehurst No. 2, including one at the last hole, for tied fifth place on 2-under 208.

Korean phenomenon Tom Kim also fought valiantly, posting a 71 which included five birdies, four bogeys, and a double bogey, to lie in a tie for ninth place on 210.

Collin Morikawa remarkably had a bogey-free round with a 66 that took him from a tie to 51st to just inside the top 10.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player who had to settle for a 71, played his fourth straight round over par going back to Sunday at the Memorial Tournament.