US Open Golf 2012 Leaderboard: Why Fredrik Jacobson Will Emerge as Day 4 Darling

Fredrik Jacobson is two strokes behind US Open leaders Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell entering the final round at the Olympic Club on Sunday. 

Let's take a look at the leaders through three rounds of US Open play.

*Leaderboard courtesy of usopen.com.

Position	Player		Total
T1	Graeme McDowell		-1
T1	Jim Furyk		-1
3	Fredrik Jacobson		+1
T4	Lee Westwood		+2
T4	Ernie Els		+2
T4	Blake Adams		+2
T4	Nicolas Colsaerts		+2
T8	Webb Simpson		+3
T8	Kevin Chappell		+3
T8	John Senden		+3
T8	Beau Hossler		+3
T8	Jason Dufner		+3
T8	John Peterson		+3

Jacobson has never finished higher than fifth in a major event, but appears to hit his stride as each US Open round passes. 

He has shown a four-stroke improvement from Round 1 to Round 3.

In Round 1, he put together a respectable 72 for the round. That became a 71 in Round 2 and a 68 in Saturday's Round 3. He has gradually acclimated himself to the rigors of the pressure-packed stage and the Olympic Club's devastating difficulty.

Let's take a look at Jacobson's game and why he will emerge as the top contender on Sunday.

Jacobson's Playing Style

Jacobson is crafty, inventive and not afraid to get creative if need be. He uses a heavy drive and, what seems like, four million different approaches to each shot. 

He may not be a household name, but watching the 37-year-old Swede operate is enjoyable. He may be a bit unorthodox, but he has the skills necessary to challenge the top of Sunday's leaderboard. 

Jacobson has a solid intermediate and short-range game, at least enough to hold his own. He is averaging 300-plus yards off the tee, and he does most of his work in that area.

The biggest knock on Jacobson may be his lack of success past majors. This is his fourth US Open, but he's only had one top-five finish (fifth place in 2003). He only has one PGA Tour win and three victories on the European Tour. 

In short, his successes have been few and far between. But it's better late than never.

Jacobson enjoyed an excellent Round-3 performance. He avoided the pitfalls of the course and played his way into a favorable position entering the tournament's final stanza. 

Why Is He a Top Contender?

Doesn't this tournament just have an odd feel to it?

I feel like something crazy has to happen, and Jacobson's victory would be the perfect cap on this year's action.

Between Beau Hossler's unlikely rise from amateur to contender, and Tiger Woods' rise and subsequent fall, the competition in San Francisco is shaky.

No elite contender has emerged, and no headline name has stolen the show.

That leaves the door open for under-the-radar players like Jacobson. His steady improvement over three days adds another vote of confidence in his favor. 

If Jacobson had started strong but tailed off, I would be singing a different tune. But he has adjusted, and he has nothing to lose at this point.

No one expected Jacobson to be sitting in this position before action opened on Thursday, and no one expects him to stay here now. 

Do not be surprised if Jacobson proves everyone wrong, stays his course and becomes the golf media's darling for the foreseeable future.