New York [US], June 21: Shinnecock Hills finally started to bare its teeth as forecast higher winds finally arrived and organizers toughened up the course for the third round of the US Open on Saturday.
With one gust of 40 miles per hour (64 kilometres per hour) already recorded - the strongest of the week - and the greens having gained at least an extra six inches of speed, the traditional 'moving day' had all the hallmarks of the direction being backwards.
It took an hour and 50 minutes for the first birdie to be registered, one of only two carded in the 70 combined holes played by the field over the opening two hours.
There were just 38 pars, 26 bogeys, three doubles and a quadruple-bogey eight on the first by Dylan Wu, who four-putted from four feet.
US Open officials had spent the first two days trying to ensure it was a fair test for all 156 players given the early-late, late-early draw structure but with the field now whittled down to 72 the emphasis changed to making it more of a challenge.
Leader Wyndham Clark, the 2023 champion, was due out with another former winner Matt Fitzpatrick but the winds were predicted to ease off slightly within their first hour on the course.
Clark held a four-shot lead overnight and that cushion could prove vital with the chasing pack having less opportunity to benefit from the easing conditions later in the day.
Six-time major champion Rory McIlroy is seven shots back but there were a host of other multiple major winners - Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas - all ahead of him trying to chase down Clark.
Tommy Fleetwood, at one over, believes there is still plenty of time to get into contention.
"You have one person that is a long way in front and Wyndham has had an unbelievable two days and aside from that you have three under which is the next best score," said the Englishman, who eight years ago here surged through the field on the final day with a course-record 63 to almost win the US Open.
"If you make the cut you just never know what can happen if you grind it out, depending on conditions.
"I don't feel like I'm in that bad of a position.
"I'd like to be a couple back, but there's 36 holes to go and you just have to keep fighting the golf course and see where you end up."
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who is making his first attempt to win the career grand slam, is alongside McIlroy on level par.
"I did a good job of kind of hanging in there the last two days and hopefully start making a bit of a move over the next couple of days," he said.
Source: Qatar Tribune