Looking at the current leaderboard, there are many names that look like the next U.S. Open winner. With one round until they’re crowned, don’t keep your eyes off these guys that could make just a big enough move and take home the major.
Cameron Young // Aidan Kasner, Sports Editor
Currently tied for ninth place at three-over-par, Cam Young is in a solid position to win. He’s still seven strokes out, but at the end of round three, he caught fire, dropping shots at 10, 16 and 17 to finish the day with a 69 — his lowest score yet.
On the third day, he sat at +1.51 strokes gained off the tee, important at Oakmont for getting to the green. He also led the entire field for greens in regulation and is primed to do it again. For the 16th best putter on the PGA tour, who may have just had an off day with his short game, he’s my lock for a comeback.
Young started the week even and then fell back to 4-over-par after two days. He fought himself back to three-over-par, and I believe that he has just enough fight left to take his hot end of day three into the championship round and stack some birdies for a come-from-behind win.
Thriston Lawrence // Ari Meyer, Senior Staff Writer
One name that has consistently stayed atop the scoreboard is Thriston Lawrence, a South African golfer who started his tournament strong with the second best opening round. Lawrence’s opening 67 set the tone early, but a rough second round totaling 74 put him outside the top names.
After a third round where Lawrence was mostly consistent throughout and shot a 70, he finds himself 5 strokes off the lead at 4-over-par, tied with Tyrell Hatton.
Lawrence has put himself in the elite echelon of putters at the U.S. Open this year, as he ranks No. 10 in strokes gained putting. His above average approach shots and short game have allowed Lawrence to keep himself in the hunt for the Championship.
If he were to win, Lawrence would win his first major tournament following a fourth place finish in the 2024 Open Championship. It would also be his first tournament win in North America, as all of his tour wins have come on the European Tour, where he has four wins between the 2021 season and the 2023 season.
Rasmus Neergard-Petersen // Matthew Scabilloni, Sports Editor
Rasmus Neergard-Petersen is playing some great golf this week at one of the hardest courses in the world, but it’s just not showing up on the scoreboard quite yet.
No, he’s not in the lead— he’s not even within the top-six, but he has a shot to make this Sunday a historic one. Neergard-Petersen is 2-under-par, six strokes back from the lead and No. 8 on the leaderboard. He needs to play some of the best golf of his life tomorrow, but I think he is capable.
Neergard-Petersen is one of the few players in the field who has played an under-par round multiple times, and I think he has the chance to go extremely low this afternoon. He has birdied nine of the eighteen holes on the course and eagled hole No. 4, so he knows how to take advantage of a course that is really hard to beat. He even scored four straight birdies in his third round, and if he can get that hot again on Sunday, the sky is the limit for Neergard-Petersen.
Don’t sleep on these guys tomorrow, as they’ll try and shoot up the leaderboard and come out of nowhere to win the 2025 U.S. Open.
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