Fitzpatrick, Zalatoris lead after US Open 3rd round
Brookline (USA), June 19: England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and American Will Zalatoris shared the lead as the final round of the US Open began with Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy poised to pounce.
A closing drama was expected at The Country Club, where Fitzpatrick won a 2013 US Amateur crown. Only legend Jack Nicklaus has won US Open and US Amateur titles on the same course.
Zalatoris, like the Englishman seeking his first major title, was a runner-up last month at the PGA Championship, losing a playoff to Justin Thomas, and in last year’s Masters.
Both stood on 4-under par 206 after 54 holes with major champions lurking just behind.
Defending champion Rahm, the world number two from Spain, was one back on 3-under after a closing double bogey in Saturday’s third round.
Rahm could become only the second non-US player to win consecutive US Opens after Scotsman Willie Anderson took three from 1903-1905.
World number one Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, seeks his fifth title and second major of the year.
He was two adrift on 2under, sharing fourth with fellow American Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner, and Canada’s Adam Hadwin, the 18-hole leader.
Scheffler, trying to match Tiger Woods as the only world number ones to win the US Open, would be the first to manage the US Open-Masters double since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
NELLY EAGLES 18TH TO TAKE LEAD IN LPGA
Meanwhile, defending champion Nelly Korda made a 22-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th for a 6under 66 and the thirdround lead on Saturday in the LPGA Meijer Classic, with six majors champions topping the leaderboard at Belmont in Michigan.
Making her second start since returning from a four-month break because of a blood clot in her left arm, Korda also eagled the par-5 eighth and had three birdies and a bogey. She was at 18under 198 at Blythefield Country Club.
“I’m just happy to be out there playing again,” Korda said. “I’m in contention, but, again, I’ve been in this position before. Thankfully, I can lean on that,” Nelly said afterwards.
Jennifer Kupcho, two strokes ahead of playing partner Korda entering the day, had a 69 to drop a shot back. She rebounded from her first bogey of the week — on the par-4
17th — with a two-putt birdie on 18.
“I wasn’t playing as well as I thought I should. I think after a little bit of a rough start, missed a couple fairways, I kind of set a goal for myself to shoot
3 under and I did do that. So glad to have done that,” Kupcho said.
The second-ranked Korda tied for eighth two weeks ago in the U.S. Women’s Open in her first event since early February. She also is the defending champion next week in the KPGA Women’s PGA at Congressional.