There’s an Irishman in the hunt for the season’s second major but it’s not the one you’d guess first
Shane Lowry has been a model of consistency at Chambers Bay this week and has been rewarded by going into today’s US Open final round right in the thick of the action.
The Offaly man carded a level-par round of 70 yesterday to sit one under for the tournament, in a tie for fifth place just three shots off the lead.
Lowry has thrived on the orthodox west coast track, using his shotmaking skills to plot his way round a course that has frustrated many others and is one of just eight players in red numbers after 54 holes. Things could have been even better had two dropped shots on the back nine not somewhat tainted the Irishman’s day.
World number one Rory McIlroy is among those unhappy with the course, but he also put together a level-par round of 70 to sit eight shots off the pace in a group at four over.
There is a four-way tie for the lead, with Masters champion Jordan Spieth, Ryder Cup veteran Dustin Johnson and European Tour winner Branden Grace joined at four under by Australian Jason Day, who fired a remarkable round of 68 a day after collapsing on the course.
Jordan Spieth has a chance to become the 16th player to win both the Masters and the U.S. Open.
Reminder: He's 21. pic.twitter.com/Lnny6VkYOm
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2015
Day was diagnosed with vertigo but was determined to play on and delivered what caddie Colin Swatton described as a ‘superhuman effort’.
Highlights of Jason Day's incredible #USOpen round of 68. https://t.co/tbU41Jljt6
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 21, 2015
And Day admitted after his round that his symptoms had returned on the 13th tee before continuing throughout the back nine.
“Then (I) felt nauseous all day,” Day said. “I started shaking on 16 tee box and then just tried to get it in, really. Just wanted to get it in.”
From today on, @JDayGolf is one of my heroes… What a fight against his illness… Big lesson to those people who quit for nothing…
— Pablo Larrazabal (@plarrazabal) June 21, 2015
WOW! What Jason Day is doing is incredible! He still doesn't look anywhere close to 100% but he is one tough Aussie!
— Billy Horschel (@BillyHo_Golf) June 21, 2015
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