LOS ANGELES (AP) — Follow along for live updates in the third round of the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
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SCHAUFFELE’S BUNKER NIGHTMARE
Xander Schauffele is off to a nightmarish start to the third round at the U.S. Open after needing three shots to get out of a fairway bunker en route to a bogey on the par-5 opening hole at Los Angeles Country Club.
Schauffele’s tee shot went 318 yards into a bunker on the left side of the fairway. His next shot hit the lip of the bunker, flew up in the air and landed several feet to his left. His third shot also hit the lip, flew up and landed near his feet. According to ShotCast, that shot went just 18 inches. He finally got out of the sand and made a 6-foot bogey putt.
No. 1 was the second-easiest hole on the course on a hot, sunny day.
Schauffele and Rickie Fowler each shot a U.S. Open-record 62 in the opening round. While Fowler went on to tie the 36-hole record with a 68 in the second round to take sole possession of the lead, Schauffele cooled off with a second-round 70.
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WHAT TO KNOW:
—Wild ride puts Fowler in the lead at U.S. Open
—Fan favorite Fowler heads into weekend seeking first major title
—Clark gets a little help from a good friend for U.S. Open at LACC
—Homa, Mickelson, Spieth miss cut at U.S. Open
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KIM TIES LOWEST 9-HOLE SCORE
Tom Kim tied the U.S. Open record for the lowest score over nine holes with a 6-under 29 on the front nine in the third round at Los Angeles Country Club.
The 20-year-old Kim, who was born in South Korea, made six birdies and no bogeys and got to 5 under for the tournament.
It was the third straight day with a scoring record. Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele each shot a U.S. Open-record 62 in the first round, which tied for the lowest round in a major, and Fowler tied the 36-hole record at 130.
Others to shoot 29 over nine holes were Neal Lancaster, final round, second nine, Shinnecock Hills, 1995; Neal Lancaster, second round, second nine, Oakland Hills, 1996; Vijay Singh, second round, second nine, Olympia Fields, 2003; and Louis Oosthuizen, final round, second nine, Chambers Bay, 2015.
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SHORTEST PAR 3
The 15th hole at Los Angeles Country Club is playing only 81 yards for the third round, making it the shortest par 3 in U.S. Open history.
The previous shortest par 3 was No. 7 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, which played 92 yards for the final round in 2010. That hole played at 99 yards for the third round that year, making it the fourth-shortest par 3. The third-shortest was No. 13 at Merion (98 yards) in the third round in 2013.
The 15th hole at LACC surrendered three holes-in-one in the first two rounds. Sam Burns and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon aced it in the first round when it played at 124 yards. Defending U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick aced it in the second round when it was shortened to 115 yards.
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THIRD ROUND KICKS OFF UNDER SUNNY SKY
The sun and a slight breeze greeted players in the early going of the third round at the U.S. Open, where halfway leader Rickie Fowler was gearing up for a late-afternoon tee time.
There were birdies available at Los Angeles Country Club. Shane Lowry made four and played the front nine at 4-under 31. Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley were each 3 under about halfway through their rounds. Cantlay’s surge placed him on the leaderboard, tied for 12th at 2 under for the tournament.
Wyndham Clark, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Dustin Johnson were among those within four shots of the lead, with tee times set for late afternoon.
Fowler and Schauffele each shot 62 on opening day — a U.S. Open record that made LACC seem defenseless. In Round 2, scores rose slightly and the sun appeared in the afternoon for the first time this week.
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