
Burns leads US Open by one heading into final round
Oakmont (US), June 15 UNI) America's Sam Burns will take a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the US Open after a terrific finish to the third round here.
The 28-year-old world number 22 carded three birdies and two bogeys in his one-under 69 as he maintained his overnight lead and moved to four under par on Saturday.
Playing partner JJ Spaun was level with Burns for much of the round but bogeyed the final hole to end the day as he started it, one shot back.
Alongside Spaun at three under par, 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott made a decisive move on the back nine to stake his claim for a second major title at 44 years old.
The only player in the top 10 to have previously won one of golf's biggest four tournaments, the Australian birdied the 13th and 14th holes before draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th to briefly tie the lead, according to a BBC news.
His round of three-under 67 was joint best in the field - alongside Mexico's Carlos Ortiz who improved to level par - and earned him a spot in the final group on Sunday.
Norway's Viktor Hovland remains a threat. He hit two trees and a flagstick on his way to a level-par 70 and produced a wondrous shot out of the rough on 17 to find a bonus birdie.
England's Tyrrell Hatton and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre both impressed in their search for a first major title and are at one over and three over par respectively.
World number one Scottie Scheffler carded his best round of the week, a level-par 70, but is eight shots off the lead, while Rory McIlroy hit a 74 to fall to 10 over.
UNI BM

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


United News of India
31 minutes ago
- United News of India
George Russell wins F1 Canadian GP as Norris-Piastri clash shakes up title fight
Toronto, June 16 (UNI) George Russell claimed Mercedes' first win of the season with a commanding drive from pole position in Montreal, but the biggest drama came behind as McLaren teammates and title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided late in the race. The contact occurred on lap 67 of 70 as Norris attempted to overtake Piastri for fourth. The Briton misjudged a move on the pit straight and ran into the back of the Australian's car. Norris retired on the spot with front suspension damage, while Piastri continued to finish fourth behind Russell, Red Bull's Max Verstappen and the second Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli. The race ended under the safety car. Norris immediately took full responsibility over team radio: "It's all my bad, all my fault. Unlucky, sorry. Stupid from me." The incident, reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's infamous clash at the same point in 2011, dealt a blow to Norris' title challenge. Piastri's points lead over his teammate now stands at 22 points, with Verstappen a further 21 points behind. Until the clash, Norris had run a good race from seventh on the grid on an inverted tyre strategy. Having gained on Piastri, the Briton surprised his teammate on lap 66 with a pass into the hairpin, but Piastri regained the position with a cut-back down the straight. As Norris aimed to slingshot past on the pit straight, he ran out of room and his front wing broke against the rear of Piastri's car. While McLaren were left to rue the first clash between their two drivers this season, Russell delivered a composed and clinical performance out front. Having taken a surprise pole position in Saturday's qualifying session, he converted it into victory with a strong start and controlled the pace throughout the afternoon. Despite closing the gap in the closing laps, Verstappen never truly threatened. Mercedes, however, may face a post-race protest from Red Bull, who allege Russell drove erratically under the safety car. Behind them, 18-year-old Antonelli secured his maiden F1 podium in just his tenth Grand Prix. The Italian overtook Piastri for third on the opening lap and showed maturity in defending the final podium place before Norris' crash neutralized the race. Ferrari endured a frustrating day. Charles Leclerc finished a distant fifth after publicly questioning the team's strategy to make two pit stops instead of just one. Teammate Hamilton finished a low-key sixth, although the Briton's pace was affected by an early collision with a groundhog, which damaged his floor and cost him some downforce. Fernando Alonso continued Aston Martin's mini-revival with a solid seventh place, followed by Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in eighth. Esteban Ocon secured ninth for Haas, and Carlos Sainz took the final point after executing a well-managed one-stop strategy. The 11th round of the 2025 Formula 1 season is the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, where Russell won last year after Norris and Verstappen clashed while battling for the lead. UNI/XINHUA BM


India Gazette
36 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"To be able to stand up....": Ponting speaks on Markram's WTC title-sealing century for South Africa
London [UK], June 16 (ANI): Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting hailed Aiden Markram's title-sealing century against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, saying that it is up there with the finest tons scored during the tournament finals. No stranger to scoring big runs on grand occasions, Ricky Ponting has a history of stepping up when it mattered the most. His classic 140 against India in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final in 2003 and 111* against England in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2009 are some of his finest ODI knocks. Speaking in the aftermath of the epic World Test Championship Final at Lord's, Ponting had high praise for Markram's cracking ton that helped South Africa lift the mace, placing the knock among the best centuries that he could recall on the big stage. 'When you look back through big ICC events, I think the first thing that probably comes to mind is World Cup finals,' Ponting told ICC Digital. 'And then probably Travis Head's innings (137) in the World Cup (2023) final, and then the last World Test Championship final (163). And this one is got to be absolutely as good as any of those, considering the stage, considering where South African cricket's been over the last couple of years, particularly their Test side,' he added. South Africa failed to make the WTC Final in the first two editions of the tournament but found a new direction under the pairing of head coach Shukri Conrad and skipper Temba Bavuma in January 2023. The Lord's win was their eighth successive victory in Tests, one short of their personal best. One of the changes in the South Africa setup under the new leadership was the return of Aiden Markram, who had been dropped from the tour of Australia in the 2022/23 season after an extended poor run with the bat. Markram repaid the faith reposed in him with a spectacular 115 on his return in February 2023, and has looked a more determined batter in the red-ball format since, as exemplified by his fighting ton against India on a tricky surface in Cape Town in January 2024 and his Lord's masterclass. 'To be able to stand up and perform like that when your team needs you the most is what reputations are made of. I think everyone has always known how good a player Markram was,' Ponting added. 'And I must admit, a couple of years ago, when South Africa toured Australia, I could not believe that Aiden Markram was not in that touring squad at all. He did not even make the squad.' 'And here we are a couple of years later and he has played one of probably his greatest knocks. I am sure if you asked him, he would probably say that that is the knock that he is most proud of in his Test career, and I am pretty sure his teammates who watched it all unfold would probably say the same thing.' 'So, it is a great individual achievement for him, and it's a magnificent achievement for the South African team,' he concluded. Coming to the match, on day first, Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dominated the first session with the ball, as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. A 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster took Australia to 212 all out. With the help of early two wickets from Starc and contributions from Cummins and Hazlewood helped Australia reduced South Africa to 43/4 at day one end, with Bavuma (3*) and Bedingham (0*) unbeaten. A six-fer from skipper Pat Cummins (6/28) helped Australia bundle out Proteas for 138 runs and secure a 74-run lead, despite a half-century run-stand between skipper Temba Bavuma (36 in 84 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Bedingham (45 in 111 balls, with six fours). In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 73/7, but a 61-run stand between Alex Carey (46 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Mitchell Starc (58* in 136 balls, with five fours), who also put a last wicket stand of 59 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Australia was bundled out for 207 runs, leading by 281 runs. Rabada (4/59) and Ngidi (3/38) were the pick of the bowlers for South Africa. In the run-chase, Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early, but a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder (27 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Markram put Proteas on track. An even gigantic, frustrating 147 run stand between Markram (136 in 207 balls, with 14 fours) and skipper Bavuma (66 in 134 balls, with five fours) followed, rattling Australia. Despite Starc (3/63) attempting to keep Aussies alive, Kyle Verreyne hit the winning runs for South Africa to take them to their first ICC title since the ICC Knockout 1998. Markram took home the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)


Hindustan Times
40 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Haris Rauf's feisty act in MLC contest, threatens to hurl ball as batter backs off to avoid accident
A small mix-up led to a funny moment in the ongoing Major League Cricket, during a match between MI New York and San Francisco Unicorns in the Oakland Coliseum, California. During the first innings, with MI NY batting and the Unicorns bowling, Haris Rauf shared a light moment with batter Tajinder Singh, as the two players were involved in a minor clash. In the 15th over, with Tajinder new to the crease and Rauf steaming in, the Pakistan pacer fired a quick and fast one at the new batter's pads. Appealing for LBW, Rauf then turned towards the umpire, and back towards where the ball had rolled into his path. Picking the ball up quickly, Rauf looked ready to fire at the stumps in case Tajinder was out of his ground — but instead, looked up to see the batter right in his path. Tajinder quickly backpedalled with a hand up to protect himself just in case Rauf released the ball, but the bowler held on despite miming the action of a throw. That was the extent of the moment, however, with no bad blood between the two as they shared a laugh with each other. Rauf could be seen walking back to his mark with a smile on his face, seeing the funny side of the matter. Rauf would have the last laugh, too: despite going on to concede 58 runs in the last 5 overs to a Kieron Pollard explosion, and set to chase 183, San Francisco Unicorns could thank a remarkable batting display by Xavier Bartlett to take them home. A top order collapse in the powerplay meant that the Unicorns had to rely on the middle order to get over the line. Bartlett was supported by Rauf, who came in at number 9 and was at the non-striker's end when the Australian player hit the winning six. The Unicorns have won three out of three games to start the season, with Rauf being a big part of their success thus far. The Pakistan international is currently the leading wicket-taker in this year's tournament, topping the charts with 9 wickets in just three matches.