US Open leader Shane Lowry on a one-man mission to cheer up a bruised nation

"There's no reason I can't go out and do it again tomorrow."

Shane Lowry is two shots clear of the field going into the scheduled final day of the US Open at Oakmont. The Offaly native followed up opening rounds of 68 and 70 to pick up three more shots and move clear atop the leaderboard. Bad weather saw play suspended before the leading players could finish their round and Lowry has four holes of his third round to close out. The inclement conditions mean Lowry will have to finish his third round from 7am [Pittsburgh time] before taking a few hours off and going out for the final 18. The chasing pack includes Andrew Landry [-3], the familiar trio of Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia on -2 and Branden Grace a shot further back. Lowry dropped a shot on the second hole before going on a run of birdies. He took the lead for the first time in the tournament when he sank a birdie putt on the 7th. Post-round, he told reporters that he was well aware of the significance of the moment:

"I said to my caddie, I said 'I'm leading'. He was trying to talk me down off my pedestal. And then I went ahead and bogeyed the next hole. "But, I mean, I've always -- I'm not shy in saying that I watch the leaderboards and I like to know where I stand. It's up to me, then, to go and hit the good shots."

Where Lowry stands, at present, is head and shoulders above a hugely talented field. He proved his mettle after that bogey on 8. Lowry birdied 9 and 12 and looked serene. His drives were booming and his average putts for the third round were 1.62 per hole - a recipe for success. His take on being two clear going into a US Open Sunday was typical Lowry:

"It's cool. I've never been here before, so it's obviously new. Literally just came off the golf course. So looking forward to getting home and getting my dinner. Hopefully, getting a good night's sleep."

On a weekend when our football and rugby team's fell short, in France and South Africa, the pick-me-up may come in Pittsburgh.