Kiwi pair unable to make headway

New Zealand golfers Ryan Fox and Tim Wilkinson were unable to make headway in the third round of the US Open yesterday.

After the duo had achieved a feat in just making the cut on a tricky Shinnecock Hills Course in New York, they couldn’t then capitalise on their weekend appearance, though the struggles of leader Dustin Johnson at least brought them closer to the top of the field than they were.

Kiwi No 1 Fox went into the round in a nine-way share of 26th after rounds of 73 and 72, then he had to settle for a fourover 74 in his latest hit, with his six bogeys being the most he had carded in any of his three rounds.

After bogeying the second and third holes, the 31-year-old bounced back with successive birdies on seven and eight, however four bogeys on the first six holes of the back nine stunted his cause.

Once the remainder of the field had finished their round, Fox had at least snuck up to tie for 23rd with six other players, at nine-over. After going into the weekend nine shots behind Johnson he is now six back, after Johnson surrendered his four-shot lead to sit in a fourway American tie at the top, at three-over.

Wilkinson had been one of 10 players to sneak under the cut line, but he had an eightover 78 which dropped him three spots into a three-way tie for 61st, at 16-over.

The 39-year-old opened his third round with three consecutive bogeys, before more on holes five, nine and

12, with a double bogey also coming on 11.