Updated at 22.00pm
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN WAS the main mover in early third round action Saturday morning at the US Open.
The South African, who won the 2010 British Open crown, had three birdies in six holes, to get to even par, five shy of joint-leading Americans Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
World number one Rory McIlroy started clawing his way back from four over with birdies at the second and seventh.
He could have ducked under par were it not for missing some short putts on the bumpy Chambers Bay greens, and he then took a bogey at 11 after missing another short one.
Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, saw his hopes of finally winning a US Open after six runner-up finishes all but dashed as four bogeys in six holes on the front nine saw him to slip out to seven over.
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan joined Oosthuizen on even par as did Paul Casey of England and former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, all after a few holes.
A further stroke back from Reed and Spieth further up the leaderboard were joint first round leader Dustin Johnson of the United States and South African Branden Grace.
Grouped on 137 were Joost Luiten of the Netherlands and American trio Tony Finau, Daniel Summerhays and Ben Martin.
With 20 players ranged with five shots of the lead, the way was open for someone to fire a low round and take the lead going into Sunday’s final round.
Shane Lowry teed off at 9.44pm Irish time.
There was attention too on Australian Jason Day, who collapsed with a bout of vertigo while playing the last hole of his second round and who needed treatment afterwards.
Day is at three under and due out early afternoon in the company of Kevin Kisner. The word was that he would tee off, but possibly not be feeling totally well.
