Holder Koepka bounces back as Johnson falters

SOUTHAMPTON (US): Brooks Koepka boosted his bid for a US Open title repeat Saturday, firing a third-round 72 to join a four-way tie for the lead at Shinnecock Hills.

Koepka’s two-over effort looked plenty impressive on an afternoon that saw scores soar on the Long Island course’s lightning-fast greens.

And it put him in prime position to become the first player since Curtis Strange in 1988-89 to win back-to-back US Open titles.

Koepka, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, England’s Tommy Fleetwood were all oneover in the early going while Charley Hoffman, who started the day tied for second at even par, bogeyed two of his first three holes to slip back.

“I think I’m just thinking one shot at a time,” Koepka said. “Just keep plugging away, keep doing what I’m doing. I feel really good. I feel confident.”

GRITTY COMEBACK

Koepka started the day five shots behind overnight leader Dustin Johnson.

He opened with a bogey at the first, but rebounded with a birdie at the par-three second and picked up another stroke at the par-three 11th. After a bogey at the 12th, he rolled in a 61-foot putt to save par at 14, where he was in deep rough off the tee. A bogey from a fairway bunker followed at 15, and he three-putted the 17th.

“This afternoon was very tough,” Koepka said. “The ball was running out so far on these greens, and some of these putts, there’s just no grass around the hole, so it’s hard to stop it.

“Especially when you get it downhill, downwind, you have no chance of stopping it.”

Even though Shinnecock is offering a more classic US Open test than Erin Hills last year -when Koepka roared to the title with a record-equalling 16-under par total, he said that experience gave him confidence.

His assurance hasn’t dimmed despite a near four-month absence nursing a partially torn wrist ligament, an injury that saw him miss the Masters.

He has bounced back nicely, with a runner-up finish at the Fort Worth Invitational last month.

“There’s nobody more confident,” said Koepka, who has finished 13th or better in eight of his last nine major starts. “I won this thing last year.

“(When it) comes down to winning a US Open, you’ve got to have some grit, some heart. I’ve won one, so why not win another?”

Shinnecock had shown a softer side early on Saturday, when Daniel Berger posted a four-under-par 66 to climb the leaderboard.

Johnson’s first double bogey of the week saw the world No 1 lead shrink to two strokes .

Johnson was the only player under par through the two punishing first rounds. But he threeputted the par-three second to slip to two over for the tournament, as England’s Justin Rose chipped in for a birdie at the third to move to even par.