Oakmont, Jun 15: American golfer Sam Burns, who is seeking his first major championship title, took a one-stroke lead into the US Open final round after a terrific finish to the third round at Oakmont Country Club. He carded three birdies and two bogeys as he maintained his overnight lead and moved to four under par.

Burns backed up his second-round, 5-under-par 65 – the third-lowest in Oakmont U.S. Open history – with a 69 on Saturday for a three-round total of 4-under 206.

"It would be incredible. I think as a kid growing up, you dream about winning major championships and that's why we practice so hard and work so hard. All these guys in this field I think would agree that to have the opportunity to win a major is special. I'm definitely really excited for tomorrow," Burns was quoted by US Open.

Burns will tee off in the final pairing at 11:45 p.m IST (2:15 p.m. ET) alongside 44-year-old Australian Adam Scott, who trailed by one in his quest to become the second-oldest major championship winner. Others chasing include J.J Spaun, tied with Scott at 3-under, and Viktor Hovland, who sits three off the pace at 1-under.

J.J. Spaun, a one-time PGA Tour winner who has resurrected his career in 2025 with four top 10s, including a playoff loss at The Players Championship. Thursday’s opening-round leader has continued to hang tough, posting a 69 for a 54-hole total of 207. He remains the only player in the field with a bogey-free round (66).

Adam Scott, the only player in the top 10 with a major to his name, the 2013 Masters. The 44-year-old from Australia matched the day’s lowest round with a 67, and the 14-time PGA Tour winner is the lone competitor to shoot par or better all three days.

Viktor Hovland of Norway, a seven-time PGA Tour winner, sits just three strokes back after an even-par 70 that included a remarkable up-and-down birdie from nasty rough on the par-4 17th.

Carlos Ortiz of Mexico, a qualifier with one PGA Tour victory and a handful of other worldwide titles that include the 2024 LIV Golf event in Houston, is at even par after nearly producing the second bogey-free round of the championship. Ortiz posted a 67 (even-par 210) that saw him play flawless golf until he missed a 8.5-foot par putt on Oakmont’s punishing 492-yard closing hole. He would be the first qualifier since Lucas Glover in 2009 to win the U.S. Open, US Open reports.

Missing from the mix was Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player who had won three of his last four tournaments coming into the U.S. Open, carded his best round of the week, a level-par 70, but is eight shots off the lead, while Rory McIlroy hit a 74 to fall to 10 over.

(IANS)

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