[US Open] Defending Champ Ram 3rd by 1 Stroke "Title Defense GO~"... 'LIV Golf Star' Johnson 17th

The Third Major of the Season, 122nd US Open Round 3: Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick Tied for Lead, 'Number 1' Scheffler in 4th Place

Yon Rahm is cheering after making a birdie on the 15th hole on the third day of the 122nd US Open. Brooklyn, USA=Photo by Getty Images/Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] Defending champion Jon Rahm (Spain) has gained momentum to defend his major title.

On the 19th (Korean time), at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA (par 70, 7,264 yards), the third day of the 122nd US Open, the third major of the PGA Tour with a total prize of $17.5 million, Rahm scored 1-over par and secured 3rd place at 3-under par 207, just one stroke behind. Will Zalatoris (USA) and Matt Fitzpatrick (England) are tied for the lead at 4-under par 206, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) is tied for 4th at 2-under par 208, setting up a fierce final competition for the championship.

Rahm became the first Spanish player to win this tournament last June. In the 2021 season, he entered the top 10 fifteen times in 22 events but had relatively few wins, finishing second and third twice each. This year, he has repeatedly fallen short of victory, finishing runner-up at the Sentry Tournament and third at the Farmers Insurance Open, while Scheffler has swept up four wins including the Masters, overtaking Rahm to claim the world No. 1 ranking.

This is why Rahm flew all the way to Mexico in May to finally secure his first win of the 2022 season at the Mexico Open. Fortunately, in this tournament, he started with a 1-under par tied for 14th on the first day, moved up to tied for 3rd on the second day, and continued his charge for the title on the third day. On this day, he recorded four birdies, three bogeys, and one double bogey. The double bogey on the final 18th hole (par 4) was a blemish. His third shot landed in a greenside bunker, resulting in a costly '4 on 2 putts.'

Will Zalatoris is attempting a trouble shot on the 18th hole during the third day of the 122nd US Open. Brooklyn, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

Zalatoris was last year's Rookie of the Year. He is close to victory, having finished runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open and the second major, the PGA Championship, in May. He boosted his confidence with a 3-under par daily best at the notoriously difficult Country Club. Scheffler is attempting to become the sixth player in history to win the Masters and US Open simultaneously. The leading group also includes three-time champions Sam Burns (USA) and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), both tied for 7th at 1-under par 209.

Dustin Johnson, the 'LIV Golf marquee star' led by Saudi Arabia, remains at tied 17th with 2-over par 212, showing little presence so far. Justin Thomas, the PGA Championship winner, aiming for back-to-back major victories, stopped at tied 25th with 3-over par 213. Jordan Spieth (both USA) joined this group. From Korea, Asian Tour money leader Kim Joo-hyung (20) is tied for 25th, and Lee Kyoung-hoon (31, both from CJ Logistics) is tied for 45th at 6-over par 216.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.