3RD ROUND AT A GLANCE
THE LEADER:
Brian Harman shot five-under 67 to get to 12-under 204. Harman, who missed the cut in his previous two U.S. Opens, is going for his first major title.
CLOSE BEHIND:
Justin Thomas eagled 18 to get to nine-under 63, matching the major scoring record and breaking Johnny Miller’s U.S. Open record for low round in relation to par. Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood are tied for second at 11 under, and firstround leader Rickie Fowler is another shot behind.
LOST IN THE SHUFFLE:
Patrick Reed surged up the leaderboard with a seven-under 65 early in the day, then watched as Thomas and company took aim at forgiving Erin Hills. But Reed is in the mix heading into the final round, just four shots back of Harman at eight under.
WEDDING BELLS:
Nick Rogness had one of the biggest plays of the day. Rogness, a golf fan from the Milwaukee area, proposed to his girlfriend Malea Blise on a hill to the right of the second hole. She said yes.
KEY STATISTIC:
In prior 116 U.S. Opens, only six players had ever reached 10 under or better. There were five after Saturday’s round.
CARRY MY BAG, PLEASE:
Jimmy Johnson has now carried the bag for two players to shoot 63 in a major: Thomas on Saturday, and Steve Stricker at the 2011 PGA.
NOTEWORTHY:
None of the top 16 players on the leaderboard has won a major. Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters) and Louis Oosthuizen (2010 British Open) are at four under, eight strokes off the lead.
QUOTEWORTHY:
“That means I’m a part of history. It means I have a lot better chance to win the tournament than I did when the day started.” — Thomas, on the meaning of his record-setting 63.