No golfer has higher withstood the situations at this 12 months’s U.S. Open at Oakmont than Adam Scott. Due to that, the PGA Tour veteran has put himself in a wonderful place to safe his second main and first for the reason that 2013 Masters.
With a win, Scott, 44, would change into the second-oldest golfer to win the U.S. Open, behind Hale Irwin, who gained the occasion at 45 in 1990. (h/t PGA.com)
On Saturday, Scott shot a 67 following two rounds at 70 to enter the ultimate spherical at three-under par. Scott is the one participant to keep away from a spherical above par by means of 54 holes at this 12 months’s U.S. Open.
He enters the match’s last day tied for second, with the Australian trailing American Sam Burns (-4), who’s looking for his first main title.
Scott was happy together with his spherical, telling NBC Sports activities afterward, “I put myself in a pleasant spot… I am fairly blissful to be one behind.
“I am not sleeping on the lead,” he added.
Scott credited his stroke off the tee as the explanation for his sturdy three rounds at one of many hardest programs in skilled golf.
“I began hitting it higher off the tee,” Scott stated, including, “I am feeling rather more assured.”
Per U.S. Open stats, Scott is second in strokes gained off the tee by means of three rounds (1.87), which measures how he is fared relative to different golfers.
Scott is tied for twelfth in fairways hit (27-of-42) and eleventh in greens in regulation (38-of-54), or the variety of holes a golfer reaches the inexperienced with at the least two strokes to par.
In the course of the third spherical, Scott hit 10-of-14 fairways, his most for the reason that match’s begin. He additionally had his greatest day scrambling, or changing par with out hitting a inexperienced in regulation.
Scott reached 11 greens in regulation (61 %), his fewest within the first three rounds. Nonetheless, he did not submit a single bogey after the primary gap, relatively posting three clutch sand saves, probably the most by any golfer within the third spherical.
On the par-four, 396-yard No. 14, Scott’s sturdy strategy shot gave him a straightforward birdie putt, one among three on the again 9.
He ended the third spherical with a wonderful drive on No. 18, giving him a powerful last be aware getting into championship Sunday.
At a course like Oakmont, consistency is essential. And thru three rounds, Scott has been as constant as they arrive. By the point he wraps up gap No. 72 on Sunday, he might discover himself alone atop the leaderboard.
