Can Thriston Lawrence tame Oakmont and break SA's Major drought at US Open?

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8 hours ago

Thriston Lawrence of South Africa plays an approach during the third round of the 125th US Open at Oakmont.
Image: Andrew Redington / Getty Images via AFP
South Africa's Thriston Lawrence remains in the hunt ahead of the final round of the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club.
Lawrence, who finished fourth at the 2024 Open Championship, shot a level-par 70 during Saturday's third round to remain at one-over for the tournament. He is now five shots adrift of solo leader Sam Burns going into the Sunday's fourth round.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, meanwhile, is tied for 11th on four-over par after shooting a one-over 71 in the third round.
It's been 13 years since a South African last won a Major, with four-time Ernie Els the last player to achieve the feat when he won the Open Championship in 2012.
Burns out-dueled fellow American J.J. Spaun down the stretch to grab a one-stroke lead, setting the stage for a Sunday showdown at punishing Oakmont.
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Burns fired a one-under par 69 to stand on four-under 206 after 54 holes with Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, and Spaun sharing second on 207 and Norway's Viktor Hovland fourth on 209.
Burns, whose most recent win came at the 2023 WGC Match Play, and Spaun each found the right rough at 18 but Burns made the green and two-putted for par while Burns found a bunker and two-putted for bogey.
"I didn't drive the ball as well as I would have liked, but when I got out of position I did a good job of getting myself back in the fairway," Burns said. I was able to convert some of those and kept the momentum going. That was key to the round."
Spaun, whose only PGA Tour win came at the 2022 Texas Open, shot 69 and was happy despite the setback at 18.
"This is the best I've played in my career, for sure," Spaun said. "I'm just happy I'm still within shouting distance - 18 is just a tough hole if you're out of position. Bogeys happen at Oakmont."
Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, birdied three of the last six holes to fire a 67.
The 44-year-old can be the second-oldest US Open winner after American Hale Irwin, who was 45 when he won in 1990. Scott would also have the longest gap between major titles.
"It would be super fulfilling," Scott said. "I really haven't been in this kind of position for five or six years.
"But if I were to come away with it tomorrow, it would be a hell of a round of golf and an exclamation point on my career."
Hovland blasted out of a bunker to set up a tap-in bogey at 17, but made bogey from a bunker at 18 to shoot 70.
"I've got a chance tomorrow. If I shoot a low round then anything can happen," Hovland said. "But there's a lot of good players around me ... That forces me to play some really good golf."
The four will play in the last two pairings once again on Sunday in a tension-packed final round for the $4.3 million top prize.