Can Sam Burns Maintain His Lead at the US Open Final Round?

Oakmont (USA), June 15 (NationPress) American golfer Sam Burns, aiming for his inaugural major championship title, has captured a one-stroke advantage heading into the final round of the US Open after an excellent conclusion to the third round at Oakmont Country Club. Burns recorded three birdies and two bogeys, preserving his overnight lead and advancing to four under par.

He followed up his impressive second-round performance of 5-under-par 65 – which ranks as the third-lowest in the history of the Oakmont U.S. Open – with a solid 69 on Saturday, accumulating a three-round total of 4-under 206.

"Winning a major would be phenomenal. Growing up, I dreamed of achieving such victories and that’s the motivation behind our hard work. All competitors in this tournament would agree that having the chance to win a major is extraordinary. I am genuinely excited for tomorrow," Burns stated in an interview with the US Open.

Burns is set to tee off in the final pairing at 11:45 p.m. IST (2:15 p.m. ET) alongside 44-year-old Australian Adam Scott, who is just one stroke behind in his pursuit of becoming the second-oldest major championship victor. Other contenders include J.J. Spaun, tied with Scott at 3-under, and Viktor Hovland, who trails by three strokes at 1-under.

J.J. Spaun, a previous PGA Tour champion, has rejuvenated his career in 2025, achieving four top 10 finishes, including a playoff runner-up position at The Players Championship. The opening-round leader has consistently performed, achieving a 69 for a 54-hole total of 207, and remains the only player in the field to have a bogey-free round (66).

Adam Scott, the sole player in the top 10 with a major title to his name, won the 2013 Masters. The Australian matched the day’s lowest score with a 67 and remains the only competitor to maintain par or better over the three days.

Viktor Hovland from Norway, a seven-time PGA Tour winner, is just three strokes behind after an even-par 70, which included an impressive birdie from the challenging rough on the par-4 17th.

Carlos Ortiz of Mexico, a qualifier with one PGA Tour victory and several other international titles, including the 2024 LIV Golf event in Houston, stands at even par after nearly delivering the second bogey-free round of the championship. Ortiz recorded a 67 (even-par 210) but faltered on an 8.5-foot par putt on Oakmont’s daunting 492-yard closing hole. He could become the first qualifier since Lucas Glover in 2009 to win the U.S. Open, as reported by US Open.

Absent from contention was Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, who had triumphed in three of his last four tournaments leading into the U.S. Open. He recorded his best round of the week at level-par 70 but is eight shots off the lead, while Rory McIlroy dropped to 10 over after posting a 74.