Oakmont (United States) (AFP) – Sam Burns clung to a one-stroke lead as he teed off in Sunday’s final round of the US Open, setting the stage for a tension-packed showdown at punishing Oakmont. The 28-year-old American was on four-under par 206 through 54 holes and launched his Sunday charge alongside Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion who began the day as the only major winner in the top 10. American J.J. Spaun and Scott shared second on three-under with Norway’s Viktor Hovland fourth on one-under. Thunderstorms were in the afternoon forecast under overcast skies at Oakmont, hosting the US Open for a record 10th time.
Burns, whose most recent win came at the 2023 WGC Match Play, was ninth at last year’s US Open for his best major finish and led a major after 54 holes for the first time. Burns could take home the winner’s prize of $4.3 million and join a list of first-time major winners at Oakmont including Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, and Dustin Johnson. Scott, 44, could become the second-oldest US Open champion after American Hale Irwin, who was 45 when he won in 1990. Scott, the only player with three rounds at par or better, would also have the longest gap between major titles after his Augusta National victory 12 years ago.
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Spaun’s only PGA Tour triumph came at the 2022 Texas Open, but he pressed second-ranked Rory McIlroy before losing a playoff in March at the Players Championship. In the past 10 majors, the eventual winner has been first or second after 54 holes. World number 14 Hovland’s best major finish was a runner-up effort at the 2023 PGA Championship. World number one Scottie Scheffler, who began the round eight strokes adrift of Burns, found the Church Pew bunker left of the third fairway and went on to make a three-putt double bogey, although a tap-in birdie at the par-five fourth left him only nine off the pace.
**McIlroy eyes Portrush**
McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, fired a 67 to finish on 287. He sank a birdie putt from just inside 17 feet at the second, then rolled in a 22-foot birdie putt at the seventh, but found a bunker off the ninth tee on the way to a bogey. The 36-year-old went over the 10th green with his approach and made bogey, but then sank a 28-foot birdie putt at the 11th and birdied the par-three 13th from just inside 10 feet. Northern Ireland’s McIlroy landed his approach at 14 just inside five feet and sank his birdie putt, made a three-putt bogey at the par-three 16th, then drove the green at 17 and two-putted from 20 feet for birdie.
Up next for McIlroy is next week’s PGA Travelers Championship, with his mind turning to next month’s British Open on home soil at Portrush. “I’m looking forward to just getting back to Europe in general,” McIlroy said. “Got our new house in London, play the Scottish and then The Open at Portrush. Just trying to get myself in the right frame of mind to approach that. It will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week.”
Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, reportedly damaged lockers after missing the cut on Friday due to a last-hole bogey, with photos showing knocked-in panels on locker doors. Clark apologized after last month’s PGA Championship, where the American snapped his driver against a sign after pulling a 16th-hole tee shot in the final round at Quail Hollow.
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