West Australian Min Woo Lee is poised for a third consecutive top-30 finish in a major as reborn American Bryson DeChambeau took the outright lead after 54 holes at the US Open at Pinehurst No.2.
DeChambeau received treatment for a hip complaint throughout his third round, but it did little to hold him back, the 2020 champion launching monster drives in his round of three-under 67 to lead by three at seven-under through 54 holes.
The US Open champion at Congressional in 2011, Rory McIlroy (69) is in a tie for second at four-under with Frenchman Matthieu Pavon (69) and American Patrick Cantlay (70), the trio among just eight players under par heading into the final round.
At four-over par and in a tie for 25th, Lee is the best of the three Aussies who made the cut, his round of two-over 72 comprised of five bogeys and three birdies.
All three birdies came in an even-par front nine of 35, the 25-year-old driving the green at the 289-metre, par-4 third and two-putting from 56 feet for his first of the day.
A booming drive of 318 metres allowed Lee to go for the green in two at the par-5 fifth, just missing an eagle try from 24 feet for a second birdie in three holes.
Continuing to trade birdies for bogeys, Lee dropped a shot when he was unable to get up-and-down from the front of the par-3 sixth but got back to even-par on his round when he hit his approach inside three feet at the par-4 seventh.
Second in ‘strokes gained: off the tee’ in round three, Lee can now add to his strong performances in the majors this year having finished tied for 22nd at the Masters and equal 26th at the PGA Championship.
Queenslander Cameron Smith moved into a tie for 35th and just one behind Lee thanks largely to a superb back nine in the third round.
Five-over on his round after a double-bogey at the par-4 eighth, Smith responded in impressive fashion. A brilliant bunker shot set up birdie from just outside three feet at the par-5 10th, going back-to-back when he found the right side of the cup from 11 feet at the par-4 11th.
Despite finding the native area right of the fairway with his tee shot, Smith produced a brilliant approach shot to six feet at the par-4 18th, converting for birdie and a bogey-free back nine of three-under 32.
There were no birdies and six bogeys in a frustrating third round of six-over 76 for Adam Scott, Kiwi Ryan Fox (76) also enduring a difficult day in finding Pinehurst’s treacherous greens in regulation.
Australasian scores:
T-25 Min Woo Lee 73-69-72—214
T-32 Cameron Smith 71-72-72—215
T-54 Adam Scott 70-72-76—218
T-65 Ryan Fox (NZ) 73-72-76—221
MC Jason Scrivener 74-72—146
MC Jason Day 71-77—148
MC Cam Davis 77-72—149
