The 2019 U.S. Open is far from over but while moving day provided a needed boost for some, the names on top saw little change. After a stunning second round, Gary Woodland continued his methodical poise around Pebble Beach Saturday.
Woodland began the day 9-under par for the tournament and holding onto a one-shot lead. Despite his first bogey in 34 holes, the current U.S. Open leader turned in a steady 2-under third round of 69. His playing partner Saturday, Justin Rose, kept things close with a 68 to stay just one back of Woodland.
While the top two didn’t change, the leaderboard below them shifted around with a number of odds on favorites making their move. With so many of the top players in golf pulling out all the stops at Pebble Beach, the third round of the U.S. Open turned in a number of replay-worthy highlights.
Woodland and Rose continue to set the pace
Gary Woodland showed no signs of pressure or slowing down as he needed just four holes Saturday to turn in his first birdie and extend his lead to three.
They're all chasing Gary Woodland, but he's not slowing down. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/xWWH0dttet
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Needing to capitalize on the rare Woodland mistake this week, Justin Rose settled in to gain the two-shot swing at the par-4 8th.
Justin Rose with a 🐦, Gary Woodland's 34-hole streak without a bogey comes to an end and the lead is down to 2. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/S7WB3mIZZ5
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
After his first bogey in 34 holes at the 8th, Woodland bounced back at 11 as he spun his approach to just over two feet. He would clean up for birdie to get back to 10-under par.
🎣@GaryWoodland reeled this approach back in and made 🐦 to push his lead back out to 3. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/wiYzZ0hb9q
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Following an awkward lie after his tee shot at the par-3 12th, Woodland found himself off the green chipping for par. However, no putter was no problem as he found the perfect line to save par.
BOOM!
Gary Woodland simply cannot miss! #USOpen #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/m0lA4WRdis
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Not letting Woodland’s chip-in par save rattle him, Rose fired back at 12 with a strong birdie putt to cut the lead back to two.
Justin Rose calls your chip-in par and raises you a birdie! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/hcI4RmjOsx
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Looking to be in trouble once again at 14, Woodland had to cover over 42-feet for his par. And he used every inch of the green to bury that putt at the bottom of the cup for par.
GARY WOODLAND, THERE ARE NO WORDS! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/vEyfiBMmof
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Rose dropped a shot at 13 but fired one right back following Woodland’s stunning par-saving putt to again get back to 9-under and within two.
JUSTIN ROSE, UNPHASED! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/6Ak6wntZic
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
It may have been a grind Saturday but Rose will march into Sunday with the momentum and just one shot behind Woodland following a closing birdie at 18.
Justin Rose carries momentum into Sunday, when he'll start 1 back of leader Gary Woodland. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/1ClSI9Udqr
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Koepka keeps history in sight
Looking to stay in striking range, the reigning back-to-back U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka nearly cashed in an eagle at the scoreable par-5 6th hole but had to settle for a birdie for his first red number of the third round.
Brooks Koepka barely misses 🦅, but makes 🐦 to move to 4 off the lead. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/biKDuHOGC7
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Standing over his birdie putt at the par-4 10th, Koepka knew he had to find the right line to convert. And convert he did to move to 7-under and a tie for second.
Brooks Koepka doing major things. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/lOAQcghJ8m
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Needing nothing put perfection from off the green at the par-4 15th, Koepka dialed in just that as he sent his par putt from 31-feet on a picturesque line for the save. He would save par at 18 to finish four shots off the lead in his quest to three-peat on Sunday.
Koepka from the fringe! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/C9xWXQKSfg
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Contenders continue to put the pressure on
Closing birdies at 15 and 18 moved Rory McIlroy to a solo 6th place at 6-under heading into the final round at the U.S. Open.
Rory McIlroy drills a birdie on 15 to pull into solo 6th. #USOpen #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/XEeVgbkYLQ
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Culminating with this 12-footer at the par-3 17th, Louis Oosthuizen turned in three straight birdies to fight his way back to a tie for third heading into Sunday’s final round.
Three straight birdies for Louis Oosthuizen pulls him into a tie for third. #USOpen #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/oczcd6kAf3
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
2010 U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell finished his round in emphatic fashion after sinking a 34-foot eagle putt to reach 4-under par.
🦅 ALERT
Graeme McDowell finishes his round in style! #USOpen #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/IPWS49WM2W
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2019
Everyone likes a good eagle so why not two more? Paired together Saturday, Chesson Hadley and Matt Kuchar completed the rare feat as both made eagle putts at the par-5 6th.
YOU get an 🦅!
YOU get an 🦅!
It's all happening!! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/z5cSB6gkBW
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Kuchar and Hadley weren’t the only playing partners feeding off one another as Brandt Snedeker and Rafa Cabrera Bello holed out from off the green at the 8th.
Anything you can do, I can do better.
Rafa Cabrera Bello and Brandt Snedeker BOTH hole-out on 8. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/83lZC0MP5T
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Looking for his best finish at a U.S. Open, 24-year old Jon Rahm chipped in for birdie at the par-4 8th.
ANOTHER hole-out!@JonRahmpga moves to 5-under. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/spbM8wxgpG
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Friday may not have gone his way but perennial favorite Rickie Fowler turned his fortunes around early Saturday with three birdies through his first seven holes including a 27-foot putt at the par-3 7th.
Rickie is rolling!
He's got 3 birdies thru 7 holes today. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/5v2SvSDOhz
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
From off the green and needing a lengthy make to save par, Chez Reavie followed the exact line from 17 yards out to stay tied for 5th at the time.
Unbe-Reavie-ble!
Huge par save to stay at T-5. #USOpen
Leader board: https://t.co/LUYEHVMw6s pic.twitter.com/uZgv4Ru8pd
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Despite not being on the green, Rory Sabbatini, who already claimed a hole-in-one highlight Thursday, sank back to back birdies from off the green at four and five.
Rory Sabbatini's last 2 holes
GIR: 0
Birdies: 2#USOpen pic.twitter.com/GqE3fNAokR— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
Tiger finishes with a highlight of his own
It wasn’t a marquee day for the reigning Masters champion but fan favorite Tiger Woods turned in a birdie on his final hole of the day to battle back to even par for the tournament.
Tiger Woods birdies the 18th to finish a round of 71. He's even for the championship. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/vMfSANjJ0a
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2019
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