Can Rory McIlroy break the Major drought in style? Final round preview of the US Open
The Northern Irishman fired a superb 4-under-par 67 on Saturday at Torrey Pines to give himself a chance of lifting a second US Open title ten years after his first.
Best bets
Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of Rory McIlroy's inability to win a Major Championship since 2014 is that he's rarely even given himself any chance to triumph.
In 24 Majors during that dry spell he's been within four shots of the 54 hole lead just twice, when four back and tied sixth at the 2018 Open, and before that when three back and playing in the final group of the 2018 Masters with eventual winner Patrick Reed.
In posting an excellent 4-under-par 67 on Saturday at Torrey Pines, to get to within just two shots of the third round leaders, the 32-year-old has given himself another rare opportunity to break that nagging, troublesome run.
Mackenzie Hughes, Louis Oosthuizen and Russell Henley lead on 5-under 208, with McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau on 3-under.
Leaderboard at the #USOpen heading into Sunday:
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 20, 2021
T1. @MacHughesGolf -5
T1. @Louis57TM
T1. @RussHenleyGolf
T4. @McIlroyRory -3
T4. @B_DeChambeau
T6. Scottie Scheffler -2
T6. @JonRahmPGA
T6. @Matthew_Wolff5
His aim is Webb Simpson-like because the American carded weekend 68s in 2012 to claim victory - the only US Open winner in the last quarter of a century to emerge from outside the top six with 36 holes to play.
The margins at this level are so small, a reality revealed in the fact that since the start of 2017 McIlroy and Brooks Koepka have the same weekend average in the Majors; their respective results, however, are glaringly different.
How the betting looked pre-tournament:
Mackenzie Hughes - tied first, 5-under (73-67-68)
Louis Oosthuizen - tied first, 5-under (67-71-70)
Eagle at the last propels @Louis57TM into the co-lead. 👏pic.twitter.com/0ryMbzuYrp
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 20, 2021
Russell Henley - tied first, 5-under (67-70-71)
Clutch par save at 18.@RussHenleyGolf stays at -5 for a three-way co-lead.pic.twitter.com/OsJI79Jeh5
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 20, 2021
Rory McIlroy - tied fourth, 3-under (70-73-67)
Bryson DeChambeau - tied fourth, 3-under (73-69-68)
Bryson is the fourth defending @usopengolf champion to be in the top-5 through 54 holes the last 30 years.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 20, 2021
2005 Goosen (finished T-11)
2018 Koepka (won)
2019 Koepka (finished 2nd)