Thomas shoots 63, trails Harman by 1
9-under is lowest round to par in a major long known as the toughest test in golf
ERIN, Wis. — Justin Thomas managed to stand out in a U.S. Open where par is going out of style.
All it took was a 9-under 63, the lowest round to par in a major long known as the toughest test in golf. Thomas capped off his record day on the 667-yard 18th hole at Erin Hills with the prettiest 3-wood he ever hit, stopping 8 feet away on a green where some players struggled to land a wedge.
He made the eagle to get his name in the record book Saturday.
The lead, however, belonged to Brian Harman.
Harman closed with two birdies and three tough pars for a 5-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead at 12-under 204.
“Yeah, 12 under, I’d have about a 10-shot lead in most Opens,” he said. Not this one. Not even close. Erin Hills again lacked enough wind to be the stern test the U.S. Open wants, and it showed. There were 18 rounds in the 60s on Saturday. Going into the final round, 42 players were still under par.
“Usually when you shoot even in a U.S. Open and you’re one off the lead, you’re not six down afterward,” J.B. Holmes said.
In the 116 previous U.S. Opens, only six players had ever reached 10-under par or better, never in the same tournament. By the end of a wild and wide-open Saturday, five players were double digits under par.
Brooks Koepka made three birdies over his last seven holes for a 68 and joined Thomas one shot out of the lead.
Also at 11 under was Tommy Fleetwood, who was poised to take the lead until his pitch came up short, his next shot went 60 feet down a slope on the back of the 18th green and he turned potential birdie into bogey and settled for a 68.
Rickie Fowler, on the verge of being left behind, rallied with three straight birdies and shot 68. He was 10 under, only two shots behind.
“It’s going to be a really cool day for someone tomorrow,” Fowler said. “I’m looking forward to my shot at it. I’ve been there a handful of times and had some good finishes. But I’m looking forward to getting the job done.”
Thomas finished in style, and it had nothing to do