Jordan Spieth Plummets Down US Open 2017 Leaderboard Shooting 4-over on Saturday

Jordan Spieth failed to make a moving-day surge at the 2017 U.S. Open as he faded late to post a four-over 76 during Saturday's third round at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin.

Spieth, who opened the day at even par, could never put together the string of birdies he needed to get himself back in contention at the season's second major. He finished the day with a double bogey, four bogeys and two birdies to land 11 strokes behind the leaders with the afternoon wave of play ongoing.

Here's a look at the updated tournament leaderboard:

Spieth won the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay for his second consecutive major title after winning the Masters two months earlier. He registered three straight top-five finishes on golf's biggest stages after that pair of victories but hasn't earned a top-10 result in his last four majors.

It appears that streak is going to continue this weekend barring a massive comeback effort Sunday after his frustrating trip around Erin Hills in Round 3.

The 23-year-old Texas native expressed optimism about his chances after making the cut because the notoriously tough U.S. Open setups usually keep the leaders within striking distance, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

"We've got an interesting day tomorrow, and then we've got a really, really tough day on Sunday," Spieth said Friday. "If you're ever going to come from behind in a tournament, I don't think this is a bad option."

Alas, the story Saturday remained much the same as it was over the first two rounds. His play from tee to green was good enough to find himself right in the thick of the championship hunt, but his putting let him down time and time again.

Alec Lewis of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted Spieth's woes on the greens midway through the round:

Spieth started to get more aggressive on the back nine, searching for a much-needed spark, but getting forced to take those type of chances at a U.S. Open rarely yields red numbers. Sure enough, he carded three bogeys, as well as a double on the 18th, over the final nine holes to fall further off the pace.

Edward Egros of KDFW summed up the day, and the tournament as a whole, for the fifth-ranked player in the world:

Chris Barriere of WGBA provided some of Spieth's honest post-round comments:

Looking ahead, there was a narrow path to victory for the two-time major champion heading into Saturday's play, and now it's hard to envision any way he can get back into the conversation Sunday. There are too many players ahead of him and too many shots to make up on a tough course.

The worst part for Spieth won't be failing to win the tournament. Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day all missing the cut showcased the tricky nature of the event. But the fact his usually reliable putter let him down so severely will add a little extra sting.