JASON DAY PRODUCED a gutsy performance to be one of four players tied for the US Open lead heading into the final round on Saturday.
In every major championship, one story seems to culminate that gets everyone talking. At the Masters in April, it was Jordan Spieth and the numerous records he broke en route to the green jacket and this week, at the US Open at Chambers Bay, it is Day and his courageous effort despite suffering from acute vertigo.
The 27-year-old Australian carded a third-round 68 to be tied for the lead at four under alongside Spieth (71), Dustin Johnson (70) and Branden Grace (70) on Saturday, having nearly withdrawn from the tournament after collapsing on Friday.
Day – a two-time runner-up at the U.S. Open – will be in the final pairing with Johnson after birdieing four of his last seven holes in Washington state.
Johnson once again played a very up-and-down round. He picked up five birdies, but offset them with three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-four 13th.
Spieth – looking to win the first two legs of the grand slam – was noticeably frustrated with his play on Saturday, after holing five bogeys to go with his four birdies.
With three heavy-hitters tied atop the leaderboard it is easy to forget about Grace, but it would be unwise to do so. The South African split his birdie-bogey tally evenly at three apiece. Just behind the four leaders are Louis Oosthuizen (66), Cameron Smith (69), Shane Lowry (70) and J.B. Holmes (71) at one under through 54 holes.
The likes of Brandt Snedeker (70), overnight leader Patrick Reed (76) and Henrik Stenson (72) are in contention, despite being one over the card after three rounds. World number one Rory McIlroy is eight shots off the pace following his even-par 70.
