Bryson DeChambeau brushed off hip issues to move three shots clear at the top of the US Open third round leaderboard on Saturday, setting up a showdown with world No 3 Rory McIlroy.
On another steamy afternoon at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, DeChambeau recovered from an early bogey and troublesome hip that required treatment mid-round to return a three-under 67 to lead Frenchman Matthieu Pavon (69), Patrick Cantlay (70) and McIlroy (69) by three.
Sitting a further two back and five off the pace are Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (70) and young Swede Ludvig Aberg (73), who had held a one shot lead after the second round.
“Trying to stay in the moment, obviously hip wasn’t feeling great but luckily I’ve got a good team and we’re going to go figure that out after,” said DeChambeau. “I just got two hips that are not fantastic just because of the speed training I do that’s the consequences of it but I’ll be ready tomorrow.
“I’ve had it for a long time now. It’s just something that popped up.”
DeChambeau will be partnered with Pavon for Sunday’s final round but it is McIlroy, paired with Cantlay, who he will share the spotlight with as the former-US Open winners and two of golf’s most intriguing figures grapple for the trophy.
McIlroy, bidding to end a decade-long major drought, may be one of golf’s most popular figures but the big-hitting DeChambeau has evolved into one of the most entertaining and has enjoyed the backing of huge crowds at Pinehurst.
There will also be some golf politics and bragging rights at stake on Sunday with 2020 US Open winner DeChambeau now playing on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour and McIlroy, long one of the most vocal critics of the renegade circuit.
It will mark the 10th time McIlroy has appeared in the top three going into the final round of a major while DeChambeau has played some of the best golf at the biggest events, finishing runner-up at last month’s PGA Championship.
“Looking forward to another Sunday in the mix at a major,” said McIlroy, who won the last of his four majors at the PGA Championship in 2014. “Awesome opportunity, really excited to be in the position I am in.”
“This is what we practice for, this is what we dream of, so really excited for the opportunity, going to go out there tomorrow and give it my all.”
Starting at 1st hole
All times UK time; Players are from USA unless stated; (a) denotes amateurs
1230 Seonghyeon Kim (S Korea), Gunnar Broin (a)
1241 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Jackson Suber
1252 Brandon Wu, Austin Eckroat
1303 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Ben Kohles
1314 Dean Burmester (S Africa), Ryan Fox (NZ)
1325 Sepp Straka (Aut), Martin Kaymer (Ger)
1336 Greyson Sigg, Cameron Young
1347 Nico Echavarria (Col), Brendon Todd
1358 Justin Lower, Sam Bennett
1409 Adam Scott (Aus), Brian Campbell
1425 Matt Kuchar, Frankie Capan III
1426 Adam Svensson (Can), Harris English
1447 Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim (Kor)
1458 Max Greyserman, Sahith Theegala
1509 Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley
1520 Scottie Scheffler, Tom McKibbin (NIR)
1531 Brooks Koepka, Tim Widing (Swe)
1542 Nicolai Højgaard (Den), Emiliano Grillo (Arg)
1553 Isaiah Salinda, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA)
1604 Cameron Smith (Aus), Wyndham Clark
1615 J.T. Poston, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
1631 Shane Lowry (Ir), Zac Blair
1642 Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk
1653 Denny McCarthy, Min Woo Lee (Aus)
1704 Neal Shipley (a), Luke Clanton (a)
1715 Sam Burns, Stephan Jaeger (Ger)
1726 Brian Harman, Mark Hubbard
1737 David Puig (Esp), Thomas Detry (Bel)
1748 Akshay Bhatia, Russell Henley
1759 Davis Thompson, Xander Schauffele
1810 Sergio Garcia (Esp), Taylor Pendrith (Can)
1826 Aaron Rai (Eng), Tom Kim (Kor)
1837 Corey Conners (Can), Collin Morikawa
1848 Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
1859 Ludvig Åberg (Swe), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap)
1910 Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy (NIR)
1921 Matthieu Pavon (Fra), Bryson DeChambeau
