Retief Goosen seized control of the US Open on Saturday with three birdies on the final five holes that gave him a 1-under 69 and a three-shot lead over journeymen Olin Browne and Jason Gore.
The 36-year-old South African is now just 18 holes away from his third US Open title in five years, a chance to join Curtis Strange as the only back-to-back winners in the last 50 years.
"It is nice having a lead going into the last round," Goosen said. "If it was 12 shots, I'd probably be a little more comfortable, but it's going to be a hard day out there tomorrow."
PHOTO: AFP
He has history on his side, and no one with any major championship credentials within four shots of him. The last six US Open champions have started the final round with the lead, dating to Payne Stewart at Pinehurst in 1999.
Goosen certainly has the demeanor -- birdies and bogeys are met with the same, placid stare -- but no one can question he has the game for the toughest test in golf.
"That's what you need on a course like this -- no heartbeat and a great short game," Arron Oberholser said.
PHOTO: AFP
Goosen finished at 3-under 207 and will play in the final group on Sunday with Gore, who is No. 818 in the world ranking and showed plenty of grit with three nifty par saves and a 15-foot birdie on the final hole for a 72.
Browne, No. 300 in the world who got into the US Open by shooting 59 in a qualifier, also hung tough with birdies on three of the par 3s for a 72 to finish the third round tied with Gore at 210.
Michael Campbell (71) and Mark Hensby (72) were another stroke behind.
Only Goosen and US Senior Open champion Peter Jacobsen managed to break par in dry, fiery conditions played under a blazing sun, which made the domed greens off limits to all but the most exquisite shots -- and Jacobsen needed a hole in one on No. 9 to do it.
David Toms, who gave up five shots on his final two holes on Friday, hit an approach shot that bumped into a bird on the 18th green, then made his 10-foot birdie for a 70 that put him at 2-over 212.
Tiger Woods couldn't hit the fairway with a 2-iron on two of the first three holes and made bogeys, but played even par the rest of the way for a 72 that left him in a group at 3-over 213. Woods has never won when trailing by more than five shots going into the last round on the US PGA Tour.
Vijay Singh failed to make birdie in his round of 74, leaving him at 214 and seven shots behind.
The only thing keeping Goosen from joining just five other players with at least three US Open titles is Pinehurst No. 2, a course that can dole out punishment at any time.
"Anything can happen on this course," Goosen said. "You can lose three shots very quickly around here."
He lost them on two holes. His tee shot on the 12th went right into a sandy area, he missed the green to the left, and took bogey.
Then came the 378-yard 13th, the toughest hole in the third round. From the left rough, his ball rolled over the crown of the green and left him a delicate chip. He misjudged the speed ever so slightly and watched the ball tumble off the front of the green and back down to the fairway. Goosen pitched up to about 10 feet and rimmed the cup for a double bogey.
Suddenly, no one was under par in the US Open. And with a mean stretch of holes in front of him and the other leaders, it figured to only get worse.
One swing turned everything around. From a downhill, sidehill lie in the bunker beside the 14th green, he shaped a 6-iron from left-to-right to the middle of the green. That was followed by another perfect 6-iron on the par-3 15th to the middle of the green for birdie from 15 feet.
He sent a powerful message with the 25-foot birdie putt that trickled into the 18th hole on its last turn: This is one cool customer.
"That guy might be the most underrated of all of them," Browne said, noting how Goosen often gets left out of conversations involving Woods, Singh, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson. "That guy just goes about his business."
Gore was one of the few guys who left Pinehurst with a smile, and for good reason.
Beefy and lovable, he was greeted by cheers at every turn by a gallery charmed by his longshot bid in a third round when everyone expected him to collapse under the pressure. When his birdie putt fell on the final hole, he crouched and pointed to the hole, then raised his putter.
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