US Open Golf 2013: Biggest Surprises from This Weekend at Merion Club

The only thing certain at the 2013 U.S. Open is that every player in the field is within one shot of producing a round poor enough to eliminate him from contention. Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. has been that tough, and the leaderboard is just that tight.

This dynamic has set up what could be a thrilling final day of golf. The first three rounds of play have been filled with surprises. The three examples listed below are the most shocking.

Tiger Woods Never Made a Run

Most fans who know just how tough the Merion course is probably weren't expecting Tiger Woods to run away from the field. But how many people thought he'd be tied for 31st at nine over par for the tournament heading into the final round?

It seemed at some point he would at least put together one round that created the illusion that he was a serious contender.

This time, Woods didn't even tease us. He was 13th after the second round, but he needed a strong front nine on Saturday to create some hype.

He did birdie the first hole of the day, but from there he bogeyed six of the remaining 17 holes without another birdie. Woods will be an afterthought on Sunday.

Phil Mickelson Never Faded

Just as it seemed Tiger would do something Tiger-like and make a charge, many may have expected Phil to do something Phil-like and fade away. 

Throughout his career, he's had the disastrous day or hole that ruins an otherwise solid performance. That didn't happen to Phil this time—at least not through three rounds. He still has the final day to appease his critics, but he's heading into Sunday with a one-shot lead.

If he can just produce an even-par day, he has an excellent chance to capture his first U.S. Open title.

Everyone Had At Least One Day of Struggles

Usually there is at least one player who has simply been locked in. Despite the difficulty of the course, normally there is one guy who was never above par for a round. 

That hasn't been the case at the 2013 U.S. Open. Every player in the field has had a day over par. That speaks to the shear difficulty of the course, and it forces you to appreciate Mickelson's one-under par performance.

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