By Iain Payten
Veteran Australian golfer Adam Scott could make history on Monday after overcoming treacherous conditions at the US Open to put himself into contention to win a second of golf’s major tournaments.
Scott sits in equal second at three-under, after finishing the third round at Oakmont Country Club with a three-under par 67. The 44-year-old held a share of the lead toward the end of his round, but will go into the last day just one shot behind leader Sam Burns.
If Scott goes on to win the US Open, he will break a record for the longest wait between first and second major wins – after the Queenslander famously won his first in 2013 with a drought-breaking victory at the Masters. Scott would also become the second-oldest golfer to win a US Open.
Scott showed all his experience and guile on Sunday, coming home with three birdies in the final six holes
In a sign of how brutally tough the Oakmont Country Club course is to play this year, just four players are under par for the tournament after three rounds. The course’s length, tricky greens and impossibly thick rough have made some of the world’s best look like everyday hackers.
Adam Scott of Australia acknowledges the crowd.Credit: Getty Images
But playing his 96th consecutive major tournament – dating back to 2001 – Scott played superbly to shoot back-to-back rounds of even par on the first two days, setting him up for a climb up the leaderboard in the ‘moving day’ third round.
Scott said post-round he’d used all his years’ experience to negotiate the course, and take advantage of the rare opportunities on greens that were softened up by some rain.
“I played really well, although you know I was fairly safe,” Scott said.
“I was doing my best at old man par golf, but you know with the softer conditions today there were a couple more opportunities out there and a few good shots led to birdies coming in and put myself in a nice spot going into tomorrow.
“I started hitting it better off the tee in the last month and usually over my career I’ve seen that kind of bleed through the rest of the game, and it’s slowly done it. It hasn’t been exactly firing on all cylinders but I’m feeling much more confident.”
Scott said he was happy to be in the final group on Monday but with rain having softened up the course he’ll have to shoot low to win.
“I’ll be nervous, but I’m in a great spot. You know I actually pretty happy to be one behind I’m not sleeping on the lead and all that kind of stuff, but you know it’s a big day tomorrow,” he said.
Adam Scott celebrates a birdie putt in on the 17th.Credit: Getty Images
“There’s still a bunch of guys in the mix, and it’s probably now that it’s a little softer. You’re gonna have to play a really good round of golf because someone is gonna be able to tomorrow. It’s not gonna be disastrous all day.”
Scott is ranked no.42 in the world but hasn’t had a win on the PGA Tour since the Genesis Invitational in 2020. He last won a tournament in 2023, in the Cathedral Invitational, an Australian PGA event in rural Victoria.
Fellow Australian Marc Leishman is next best, tied for 11th at four-over, and Jason Day is equal 21st at five-over. Cam Smith and Min-Woo Lee missed the cut.
US Masters champion Rory McIlroy made the cut but is one of many stars who have been tamed by the Oakmont Country club course. He hurled a club after one poor shot in his second round.
