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As Paul Azinger so eloquently put it, “Three big-time players made big-time moves.” U.S. Open champions, Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, and Dustin Johnson, all made the most of their third-rounds and are well positioned to play spoiler to an unassuming trio that currently occupies the top spot on the leaderboard.
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Let’s begin with the defending champion, DeChambeau, who turned in the lone bogey-free round of the day. While on paper it was mistake free, DeChambeau failed to capitalize on plenty of opportunities, specifically on the par-5’s. He won’t have the luxury of leaving those chances by the wayside tomorrow as every shot matters just a bit more when you sit two-strokes off the lead.
Then there’s the 2011 U.S. Open champion. On the shoulders, or should I say stomach, of rotisserie chicken sandwiches, McIlroy carded five birdies against just one bogey en route to a 4-under 67. It was that lone bogey that was arguably the most impressive and the most important.
After hitting his tee-shot into the hazard on the par-4 15th, McIlroy hit his approach just short of the green before getting up-and-down for bogey. Like DeChambeau, McIlroy sits at 3-under and will be in the penultimate group alongside Russell Henley tomorrow.
Lastly, there’s Johnson who somehow is flying under the radar. Starting the day at 2-over, the world No. 1 birdied his final two holes of his round to card a 3-under 68 to sit at 1-under for the championship and in a tie for 9th. The 2016 U.S. Open champion led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting in Round 3, gaining +4.79 strokes on the field.
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However, with all of that said, it’ll be Mackenzie Hughes, Louis Oosthuizen, and Henley who will take the co-lead into the final round of the 121st U.S. Open. While they all stand at 5-under, they all got there in very unique, albeit somewhat similar ways. With Henley treading water for most of day, trading birdie for bogey in nearly every instance, Hughes and Oosthuizen used timely eagles to make their way into the final group tomorrow.
The oddsmakers at PointsBet Sportsbook are siding with the lone major champion at the top of the leaderboard. At +350, Oosthuizen is the slight favorite to bring home his second major of his career. However, close behind are two of the most intimidating names in the game in DeChambeau and McIlroy, who are currently listed at +500.
Updated Odds to Win (Odds via PointsBet):
+350: Louis Oosthuizen
+500: Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy
+700: Russell Henley
+800: Mackenzie Hughes
+2200: Dustin Johnson, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele
+2800: Collin Morikawa
+3300: Matthew Wolff
+4000: Brooks Koepka
+5000: Christiaan Bezuidenhout
+6600: Justin Thomas
+10000: Kevin Streelman, Paul Casey
Round 4 Plays (Odds via PointsBet):
Louis Oosthuizen (+350 to win):
It is time. It is time for Oosthuizen to shed the major championship runner-up reputation and finally put it to bed. As said on the Going for the Green livestream, I believe Oosthuizen was inspired by Garrick Higgo‘s win last week at the Palmetto Championship and opened this week looking as such. However, as with any U.S. Open, it isn’t always rainbows and sunshine and the next two days proved to be a challenge for the 2010 Open champion.
After an opening 4-under 67, Oosthuizen kept his head above water over the next couple of days. That right there is the exact reason why I love him to close things out tomorrow. He didn’t have his best stuff in Round 2 or 3, but was still able to get around Torrey Pines in a way that provides optimism going into the final round. He hit loose irons, short-sided himself, did things that an eventual U.S. Open champion should never do.
Yet still, he remains in the lead alongside a pair of players who are unproven in the major championship setting and two clear of those who present real danger. Oosthuizen has been there, and while he hasn’t “done that” in more than a decade, 2021 has proven to be the year of the comeback. Phil Mickelson was able to to do it at the PGA Championship and now it’s time for Oosthuizen to join those who have found the metaphorical fountain of youth and bring another major championship back to his farm.
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