CNN
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Bryson DeChambeau lay on his back, looking up at the towering pine trees while a physical therapist treated him. Then he got up, dusted himself off and took control of the US Open.
The sweltering Pinehurst No. 2 course in North Carolina became an impromptu stage for DeChambeau’s blockbuster, fist-pumping show on Saturday, as the American took a three-shot lead with a riveting third-round performance .
The in-form LIV Golf star made six birdies en route to a three-under 67 – the second best score of the round – to take a giant step towards a second US Open title, after claiming a victory of six shots. at Winged Foot Golf Club, New York in 2020.
“Amazing. I made a lot of good putts today, I can tell you that,” DeChambeau, who finished sixth at the Masters and second at the PGA Championship, told reporters.
“Tomorrow is the same quote I’ve been saying all week: Try to have boring golf. The middle of the greens never moves, so I’m going to try to hit a lot of greens, give myself a good view on some holes and make a lot of two-putts.
Few would have described DeChambeau’s golf as boring on Saturday. Tournament organizers issued an extreme heat warning before the start as temperatures topped the 90 degree Fahrenheit (32 degree Celsius) mark, but DeChambeau showed little interest in playing it cool.
Inflamed from the start, the Californian’s lively reactions to the shots seduced those behind the ropes. Once maligned by some golf fans, DeChambeau — whose personal YouTube channel continues to rack up subscribers — has embraced his new role as a crowd favorite.
Grégory Shamus/Getty Images
DeChambeau courted the crowds at Pinehurst.
After one of many booming starts, the 30-year-old took a break on the third fairway to sign autographs, but the most personal interaction would follow on the 13th.th starting box. In weighing which club to choose, DeChambeau jokingly begged fans not to boo him when he opted not to play the 368-yard par four.
“I can’t thank them enough,” DeChambeau responded when asked about the fan support. “It was a blessing. Man, they pissed me off.
“Thinking back three years ago, the landscape was very different,” he later added. “I tried to show everyone who I was. I didn’t do it the right way and I could have done a lot of things better.
“I’m lucky to have a great team around me to help me move in the right direction with the content we produce, social media, and also a great perspective on life.
“These combinations of things allowed me to not only have a new perspective, but also the opportunity to show myself in a different light and entertain the fans on the golf course.”
02:44 – Source: CNN
Bryson DeChambeau’s unique approach to golf
The hole was a perfect summation of DeChambeau’s day at the box office. After his tee shot hit a bunker, the American almost escaped with his fascinating subsequent swing.
Even when a costly takeaway from the green led to a double bogey on the 16ththDeChambeau responded immediately with a birdie on the next par-three.
To top it all off, there was a mid-round physical therapy session – permitted by the PGA Tour – in the woods before the 11th hole. The procedure was due to hip discomfort, DeChambeau said, adding that it had been a problem for “a long time.”
“I’ve been playing a lot of golf lately and…I’ve been trying to finish my house, so I haven’t really had time to rest like I would like,” he said.
“I just pushed myself a little bit, so it’s going to happen.” But I have a great team around me to help me fix some things.
Three shots behind in a three-way split for second, world number 3 Rory McIlroy remains within touching distance of ending his 10-year wait for a fifth major title.
“I love the test that Pinehurst presented,” McIlroy told reporters. “You have to focus and concentrate on every shot. This is what a US Open should be like.
Matt York/AP
McIlroy is well-positioned to challenge for a fifth major title.
The Northern Irishman’s third-round 69 was mirrored by Matthieu Pavon, a surprise major contender who became the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour in January.
“This has been a remarkable journey for me,” Pavon told reporters.
“I love competing here…I’m a pretty regular guy, and it’s just great to be here.”
McIlroy and Pavon are joined at four under by American Patrick Cantlay, who shot even with a par 70 as he looks to add a major triumph to his eight PGA Tour titles.
Scottie Scheffler’s struggles continued, with the world number 1 scoring 71 on one, which sent him sliding further down the rankings and all but extinguished any hope of him honoring his previous favorite designation. -tournament.
Having opened with the same score on Thursday, the 27-year-old had cut an atypically irritated figure en route to a second-round 74, just enough to make the cut, and his discontent spilled over into the weekend despite a strong performance improved.
“Another frustrating day,” Scheffler told reporters. “Today was a day where I thought I played way better than my score.
“I have a lot of trouble reading these greens. I made a lot of putts today where I felt like I hit really well. I looked up and they weren’t going the way I thought they were going.
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Scheffler’s difficult week continued.
With five wins in eight starts before Pinehurst, it has been a season of historic dominance for Scheffler, but the reigning Masters champion made a rare slice of unwanted history after being unable to birdie the final hole.
After closing with a two-game 74 during last week’s Memorial Tournament – albeit with the caveat that he won the event – Scheffler’s third-round 71 marked the first time he shot four consecutive rounds over par in a professional career that spanned 120 PGA Tours. events.
Six shots behind the group in the ninth tie, Scheffler will need an exciting end to the season to extend his streak of three consecutive top 10 rankings in the major tournament.
“Golf is a mental torture chamber sometimes, especially at the U.S. Open,” he said.
“I wouldn’t use myself as a benchmark for what’s good right now. It’s pretty mediocre at best right now,” he added.