PINEHURST, N.C. – Bryson DeChambeau is 18 holes away from the US Open.
DeChambeau opened a commanding lead during the third round at Pinehurst No. 2 on Saturday, shooting a 3-under 67 to reach 7-under for the week. He is three shots ahead of Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Matthieu Pavon, all of whom are 4 under par.
It was a tough round for DeChambeau, who flirted with winning each of this year’s first two majors but settled for tied sixth and solo second place finishes at the Masters and PGA Championship. He is now in line for the second major championship victory of his career: the first was the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot. That round was played in the middle of the pandemic without fans on the field. A year later, DeChambeau was facing intense scrutiny and often ridicule from fans. On Saturday he was the fans’ hero and received great support throughout the afternoon.
“It has meant a lot to me. If we think about three years ago, the panorama was very different. I tried to show everyone who I was. I didn’t do it the right way and I could have done a lot of things better,” DeChambeau said. “I am lucky to have a great team around me that helps me move in the right direction with the content we are producing, social media and also a great outlook on life. That combination of things has allowed me not only to have a new perspective but also the opportunity to show myself in a different light and entertain the fans on the golf course.”
But like most things with DeChambeau, Saturday was not without its twists and turns. He is apparently recovering from a right hip injury.
DeChambeau called a physical therapist as he turned onto the back nine and received treatments between holes.
“Yes, it was more difficult to achieve it in a couple of shots. Alright. I’ve had it for a long time. It’s just something that came up,” DeChambeau said.
Up to that point, it hadn’t affected his game: DeChambeau hit his drive on No. 8 375 yards, parried the par-3 ninth and then birdied No. 10 to take the solo lead at 6 under par. He continued to extend his lead with a birdie at the 14th.
KeynoteUSA drone cameras captured DeChambeau with the physio in a bad mood near the 11th hole, then DeChambeau drove the golf ball 359 yards.
“The two weeks I had off after the PGA, I was really trying hard and focusing on some things there. I couldn’t really rest,” DeChambeau said. “I’ve just been trying a little bit, pushing the horse a little bit. Consequently, that is going to happen.”
The scene reminded us of Scottie Scheffler at the Players Championship in March when he had to deal with a neck issue during a round and had to receive treatment during the game.
DeChambeau began Saturday at 4 under, one stroke behind leader Ludvig Åberg, and tied with Cantlay and Thomas Detry. Three others, McIlroy, Pavón and Tony Finau, were 3 under par.
Pavón moved up to 6 under and took the lead, only to stumble to a 37 on the back nine. McIlroy got to 6 under and then bogeyed Nos. 15 and 17. Cantlay shot an even-par 70 after being 1 under on the back nine.
Pavón will play in the final group with DeChambeau, with McIlroy and Cantlay together.
“I’m pretty much in the same position as last year going into the final day at LACC. “It’s a very familiar position, I’ve been here many times before and I hope tomorrow produces the golf that is needed to improve,” McIlroy said.
Finau and Aberg suffered a strikingly similar fate: Each triple-bogeyed the par-4 13th within moments of each other, their balls went from one side of the green to the other and effectively ended their US Open hopes.
DeChambeau led by four shots through 15 holes. But he made double bogey on the difficult par-4 16th, pushing his lead to two strokes. DeChambeau responded with a decisive birdie on the par-3 17th and a tap-in par on the 18th, giving him a three-stroke cushion and the sole 54-hole lead.
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(Photo: Gregory Shamus//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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