The Spaniard, who was the leader in 17th, will start on Sunday one blow from the head
MADRID, 19 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish golfer Jon Rahm keeps intact his option to defend the US Open after the third day this Saturday at The Country Club, one stroke behind the leadership shared by the American Will Zalatoris and the English Matt Fitzpatrick.
Rahm followed the line of the previous two days in Brookline, Massachusetts, and finished as he started, one blow from the head. It was a ‘moving day’ of survival, of minimizing errors because the wind was gusty and the afternoon was not the most peaceful, although the USGA did not overly complicate the flags.
Boston’s course hardened and Rahm took it on to the point of leading by one shot to the last hole. On that 18 he ran into a bunker, couldn’t get it out on the next shot, and when he did, he found another sand obstacle. A painful ‘double-bogey’, when he was thrown for the lead.
The one from Barrika closed the first nine holes of the day with a birdie and two bogeys. It was time to save pars without many options to take the fairway due to the wind, a streak that also frustrated him in the ‘bogey’ of 13. However, Rahm took advantage of the par 5 of 14 and took out two more ‘birdies’ to change the face to Saturday.
The lead for the Spanish did not last long, with that problem with the ‘bunkers’, but the US Open champion is ready to repeat and add his second ‘major’. On a Sunday that he appears exciting at the US Open, with the local Zalatoris again in the fight for a ‘major’, he has five ‘Top 10’ in the eight tournaments of this caliber that he has played so far.
The American is the leader with -4 along with Fitzpatrick, US Open amateur champion on this same course in 2013. Following Rahm, with -2, are Keegan Bradley, Adam Hadwin and Scottie Scheffler. Despite a three over par, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, recent champion in Canada and who is looking for his fifth major, remains on the prowl (-1).