US Open Golf 2018 Leaderboard: Live Updates and Storylines to Watch for Sunday
The Saturday session of the U.S. Open provided plenty of controversy for the players, the United States Golf Association and Phil Mickelson.
The Sunday session is about getting the focus back on golf, excellent competition and the awarding of the championship.
As the leaders prepare for the final round of the U.S. Open, Daniel Berger, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson and defending champion Brooks Koepka are tied for the lead at three over par.
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Johnson started the third round with a score of four-under and a four-stroke lead on the field. However, the challenging conditions at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, were nearly impossible for golfers who teed off in the afternoon.
The greens were simply too treacherous for the best golfers in the world, and that caused scores to skyrocket. Many of the players were unhappy with the conditions, and Zach Johnson said the course had gone beyond the point of fairness Saturday.
"We're not on the edge. I thought we could be on the edge, but we've surpassed it," Zach Johnson said, per Sky Sports (h/t Bob Harig of ESPN.com). "It's pretty much gone, especially the latter part of the day for us. It's pretty much shot. It's really unfortunate, because in my opinion, some of the best land and certainly one of the best venues in all of golf, especially in this country, is Shinnecock Hills. It's as good as it gets.
"Unfortunately, they've lost the golf course."
The USGA admitted the course was not fair to the late-afternoon players, and executive director Mike Davis said the course did not play as expected.
"We missed it with the wind," said Davis. "It blew harder than we thought it was going to blow. The greens got fast, and it was too much for the wind we had. At 15, you were seeing shots well-played, and they weren't rewarded. We would say it was a very tough test, but it was too tough this afternoon."
Davis said that the course would be in a better condition Sunday. That means watering the greens so they hold putts somewhat easier, but it's unclear what will be done for the leaders who will be teeing off in the afternoon when the course dries out once again.
Mickelson upstaged the tournament when he putted his failed bogey attempt on the 13th hole before the ball stopped moving. Mickelson was given a two-shot penalty for the offense, but the questions of why Mickelson pulled the mini-golf maneuver and why he wasn't disqualified from the tournament have not been answered adequately in the eyes of many observers.
Mickelson shot an 81 in the third round and was 15 over par as he prepared to compete Sunday.
Fifteen golfers were within four shots of the lead as the third round ended, and that should lead to a competitive and exciting final round.
Here's a look at the leaderboard that fans will be able to follow throughout the final round.
Finau and Berger took advantage of the fair conditions Saturday morning to shoot 66, and both will try to keep their momentum going. That duo will tee off at 2:24 p.m. ET.
Koepka was among the few golfers who competed later in the day and managed to play respectable golf as he shot a two-over 72.
Johnson tried to put a positive light on his round given the condition of the course.
"I didn't feel like I played badly at all," Johnson said, per ESPN News Services. "Seven over usually is a terrible score, but with the greens the way they got this afternoon, I mean they were very, very difficult. I had seven or eight putts that easily could have gone in the hole that didn't. And that's the difference between shooting seven over and even par."
Koepka and Johnson will tee off at 2:13 p.m.
Star players Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are looming behind the leaders. Rose starts the final round at five over par, while Stenson is one shot further behind. Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jim Furyk and Masters champion Patrick Reed are also six over.
Ian Poulter and Branden Grace are among the six golfers at seven over par.
The keys to Sunday's championship round are determining which players will emerge on the back nine to play championship-worthy golf and whether the USGA can do anything of significance to make the course more playable than it was Saturday.
Look for Johnson and Koepka to return to top form and engage in a stirring battle for the championship in this year's national championship event.
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