Zalatoris avoids disaster, rises to top early on Day 3

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Will Zalatoris got up-and-down from a greenside bunker on No. 18 to save par and finish his third round tied with Matt Fitzpatrick for the clubhouse lead at the U.S. Open on Saturday.

Zalatoris shot 3-under 67 and finished the day at 4-under 206.

Fitzpatrick bogeyed the 18th hole for a 68 and lost the lead outright on the final hole.

Scottie Scheffler was two shots in the lead midway through his third round, but struggled, playing a four-hole stretch in five over par. He was able to sink a birdie on the 17th hole, then made a par save from 15 feet on 18 for a 71 to sit only two shots behind Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick.

Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa were two of six players who were another shot back at 2 under.

Zalatoris lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff last month at the PGA Championship. It was the latest in string of five top-10 finishes at majors since the 2020 U.S. Open for the 25-year-old. Zalatoris is looking for his first major championship.

A whipping wind and dry conditions at The Country Club sent scores soaring early on Saturday.

The field was a combined 103 over par shortly after 2 p.m. — with only three golfers in the red.

Zalatoris was one of the few making birdies on Saturday morning, knocking in a 40-foot putt for birdie on the second hole and just missing another from 30 feet on No. 3.

He sank a 15-footer for birdie on No. 4 to improve to 2 under for the day and 3 under for the tournament.

McIlroy wasn’t at his best on Saturday, but he’s within range to win Sunday. He had four bogeys and one birdie during the third round for a three-over 73. He was tied for seventh place at one-under total at press time.