US Open: Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau attack, Richard Bland fades

Rory McIlroy won his first major title at the 2011 US Open

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau attacked as Richard Bland’s challenge waned, and a tightly contested third round of the US Open set the stage for an exciting final day at Torrey Pines.

Louis Oosthuizen punched an incredible 50-foot eagle put on the 18th to take the lead with Russell Henley and Mackenzie Hughes at five.

McIlroy, 2011 champion, got a four under 67 and is two behind, along with defending champion DeChambeau (68).

Bland carded a 77 to end in an over.

The 48-year-old Englishman, who won his first European Tour title at his 478th event in May, surprisingly shared the lead overnight with Henley at only his second US Open.

The chasing pack includes 17 players within five shots of the lead and is stacked with potential winners.

World number three Jon Rahm recovered from a double bogey on the 14th to score a 72 and finish with two under, while top ranked Dustin Johnson fell further behind on a 68.

McIlroy celebrates the anniversary of the first US Open title in style

Exactly 10 years to the day after McIlroy won his first major, the 2011 US Open, the Northern Irishman turned back the years at the age of 22 when his challenge gained momentum.

He screwed the second and 10th birdies, then punched a 30-yard chip out of the rough on the 12th to get 2 under par. Another birdie followed on the 13th par-five after his second shot was fired from the flagstick from 270 yards.

McIlroy fell back slightly after an idiosyncratic drive into an obstacle on the 15th led to his lone bogey of the round, but he rallied for the birdie on the 18th par-five and sat firmly in the mix.

“It’s the best I’ve played all week,” he told Sky Sports. “I have remained very patient and have the feeling that this patience was rewarded on the second nine.”

McIlroy, who won the last of his four major titles at the 2014 US PGA Championship, added that another US Open title would mean “an awful lot” to him and said he was “just so happy” to own one to have given another chance.

“It has felt like a while since I had the chance to win a big championship on Sunday,” he continued.

“It won’t be as easy as it was 10 years ago, but my game feels good and I’ll try to do the same thing again.”

Earlier, Ian Poulter reminded European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington of his potential with a three-under-68 to end the day on par.

His Englishman Paul Casey is also even after a birdie on the 18th ended an excellent 67.

DeChambeau thrives while Koepka falters

Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau was two after the first round in Torrey Pines

48-year-old Bland said he wanted to take on the “athletes” over the weekend, but it was these athletic, younger players who made moves on Saturday.

DeChambeau made the most formidable move when his “bomb-and-candles” approach helped him place his first bogey-free round in a major; Birdies in first, sixth and 13th place left him dangerously in fourth place.

The 27-year-old has been arguing with two-time US Open winner Brooks Koepka on social media and said he was looking forward to the two of them playing together.

“On both sides, guys go back and forth and say ‘Team Bryson’, ‘No, no, no, Team Brooks’. It’s really cool, I think it’s fun,” DeChambeau said of the alleged feud between the two.

“I would be happy if we fit together,” he added. “Give the fans what they want. I think it would be great. We both have to play well at the same time and I’m looking forward to this day.”

Struggling with something happening on Saturday, Koepka countered three birdies with three bogeys to end the day as he started at level par.

Henley also had a mixed bag of four birdies and four bogeys in a 71 when he couldn’t break off the field. His biggest lead was two strokes, but he played the last seven holes over par so Hughes and Oosthuizen could overtake him.

The American’s day went much better than Bland’s, however, as the Englishman, who hit 10 of 14 fairways from the tee – the third best of the day – battled his approach shots in a bogey-ridden show that culminated in an unlucky trip into the water on 18

But Henley managed to keep the lead where he had been all day and he saved the par despite visiting two bunkers on his way to the final hole.

He was later topped by 2010 Open Champion Oosthuizen, who suddenly and unexpectedly shot to the top of the leaderboard after his formidable eagle putt ended an otherwise mixed round of three birdies and four bogeys.

Canadian Hughes, who failed to make the cut on his three previous US Open appearances, also had an eagle in his three under 68.

The 30-year-old’s performance on the 13th put him in second place and he moved up to the top with a birdie in 18th place.