A three-way tie atop the leaderboard and star-studded pack of chasers have set the stage for an explosive final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday at Torrey Pines.
Russell Henley maintained his hold on the lead with an even-par round to stay at 5-under, but he's joined at the top by Mackenzie Hughes and Louis Oosthuizen with 18 holes to play.
However, it's far from a three-man race for the title. There's plenty of firepower inside the top 10 ready to make a charge on the final day, headlined by Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.
McIlroy matched the lowest round of the tournament with a 4-under 67 to sit tied with the defending champion in fourth, while pre-tournament favorite Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, and Matthew Wolff are three shots back at 2-under.
| Position | Player | Round 3 score | Total to par |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Russell Henley | 71 | -5 |
| T1 | Mackenzie Hughes | 68 | -5 |
| T1 | Louis Oosthuizen | 70 | -5 |
| T4 | Rory McIlroy | 67 | -3 |
| T4 | Bryson DeChambeau | 68 | -3 |
| T6 | Matthew Wolff | 73 | -2 |
| T6 | Jon Rahm | 72 | -2 |
| T6 | Scottie Scheffler | 70 | -2 |
| T9 | Dustin Johnson | 68 | -1 |
| T9 | Collin Morikawa | 70 | -1 |
| T9 | Xander Schauffele | 72 | -1 |
| T9 | Kevin Streelman | 72 | -1 |
| T9 | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | 70 | -1 |
Henley kept the lead with a clutch par on the final hole, while Hughes and Oosthuizen provided fireworks on the closing stretch to grab their share.
Hughes fired a sizzling 32 on the closing nine holes to get to 5-under, highlighted by a 63-foot bomb for eagle on the par-5 13th. Oosthuizen matched his counterpart, curling home a lengthy eagle putt of his own on the 18th to make it a three-way tie.
Oosthuizen ranks as the most likely champion among the trio at the top, as the veteran's major record speaks for itself. The 38-year-old South African won the 2010 Open Championship and has second-place finishes in all four majors.
Hughes and Henley have both yet to taste significant success in one of golf's biggest events. The Canadian has never finished inside the top 40 in a major in his career, and Henley has played in 26 majors without a top-10 finish.
Both McIlroy and DeChambeau are listed ahead of Hughes and Henley on the betting board.
If McIlroy emerges victorious, he'll be just the 20th man to win five or more majors in his career and claim his first since 2014. A successful title defense for DeChambeau would make him just the sixth man ever to win back-to-back U.S. Open trophies.
