ERIN, Wis. (AP) - Five players have reached 10-under par or better so far this week at the U.S. Open - one fewer than the number who had done it over the first 116 years of what had been known as the toughest test in golf. It never has been. All-in-all, it's a great showing for Hoffman, a player who has made a habit of hanging around at majors since his T9 finish at the Masters in 2015.
And yet, Thomas won't even walk to the first tee box Sunday with the lead.
Hideki Matsuyama and Brian Harman are tied for second at 12 under, followed by Tommy Fleetwood another stroke back.
This isn't like most Opens.
AMATEUR HOUR: Scottie Scheffler was the low amateur, shooting a 73 to finish at 1 under.
Fowler was among those who wouldn't mind seeing the conditions toughen up for the final 18 holes.
"Well, it wasn't going to be like yesterday, regardless", Thomas said, acknowledging that record-setting days don't come around all that often.
Justin Thomas, coming off a 9-under 63 that matched the major championship scoring record and was the first 9-under round at a U.S. Open, went out in 39 and closed with a 75 to tie for ninth. And he wasn't through. And then Morgan came undone. The final-round average was 77.2, and 20 players shot in the 80s.
Fowler hasn't won a major yet, but his brand is such that so you can bet the TV folks at FOX were hoping he at least took Koepka and whoever else to the wire.
As dominant as Woods was, he never reached 10-under par until the final round. But he seemed to get back on track in the second round, with birdies on six of his first eight holes.
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Hafeez played a sensational knock when he hit four boundaries and three sixes in his 37-ball quick-fire innings. All-rounder Hardik Pandya was the highest scorer among the Indians with 76 runs from 43 balls.
Paul Casey carded a triple bogey for the second day running but unlike on day two, was unable to bounce back with five birdies in succession. He also played in the U.S. Open previous year at Oakmont and missed the cut.
Furyk reached 10-under 200 with a 67 in the third round at Olympia Fields, giving him a three-shot lead over Stephen Leaney of Australia.
And when he completed his hat-trick from 16 feet on the 16th, all that was left to decide was whether he would equal or break McIlroy's record.
Players are on the course for the final round of the U.S. Open in blustery conditions at Erin Hills.
Harman also dropped a big 29-foot putt for a birdie at the third but it was his only one on the front nine.
The tournament was such a slog that it didn't finish 72 holes until Monday.
"At 12 under par, I'd have a 10-shot lead at most (US) Opens".
There was one last ovation as he walked off the 18th green after putting for par. He didn't win, either, closing with a 76 to finish at 2-under 278, two behind Lucas Glover.
Brooks Koepka is closing in on the U.S. Open title. A mere hiccup. On Saturday, he got to 14 under, then on Sunday, he widened the gap versus par to 16 under.
T9. Trey Mullinax (-8): A bogey at No. 13 and a double-bogey at No. 15 are probably going to stick with Mullinax, but the good news is that the 24-year-old will have plenty of opportunities to redeem himself at U.S. Open's in the future. The 25-year-old Japanese star had two of the best rounds of the tournament - he shot 65 on Friday - but a 2-over 74 in his opening round loomed large as the scores got lower and lower at a forgiving Erin Hills.
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