Erin, United States: Brian Harman has spent two years flying under the radar at major championships but was comfortable in his unaccustomed perch on top of the US Open leaderboard on Saturday.
The little-known 30-year-old from Savannah Georgia arrived in Erin Hills with low expectations given his form in majors.
He missed the Masters in April and did not play in any of last years four majors.
In the four majors before that, during the 2015 season, he missed the cut in each tournament. He had never made the cut in a US Open until this week.
“First cut made too. So we’re breaking down all kinds of barriers,” Harman joked on Saturday after a five-under-par 67 that left him one shot clear of the field heading into Sunday’s final round.
Harman took advantage of soft conditions to reel off six birdies against only one bogey to finish the day on 12 under after 54 holes.
“I’m proud of the way I hung in there today,” Harman said afterwards. “I got off to a pretty good start, which I really haven’t done yet, so that was nice.
“Struck it well, had a couple putts that could have gone that didn’t, but had a bunch of looks, hit a bunch of greens. That’s what you’ve got to do to play well around here.”
Harman, ranked 50th in the world, has spent much of his professional career toiling in the shadows.
He joined the PGA Tour in 2012, winning his first tournament in 2014.
It was not until this year however at last month’s Wells Fargo Championship that he won his second, in his 172nd event.
Harman said he hopes to use the memory of that win — which saw him beat Dustin Johnson by one shot — as he prepares for Sunday’s final round.
“I’ll draw on some of the preparations I did for that week,” Harman said. “Just kind of how I felt that morning before, because I remember specifically I kind of dealt with those emotions.
“Everyone has doubts, everyone has fears. For me, just trying to figure out what they are, and kind of rationalise them and deal with them.”
Justin Thomas, meanwhile, fired a record-breaking nine-under-par 63 to crown a spellbinding display that was the lowest to par score in the tournament’s history.
The previous lowest score in relation to par was the eight-under 63 shot by Johnny Miller in the final round of the 1973 Open.
Thomas was already on course for a share of the lead as he stepped up to the 18th having carded nine birdies against two bogeys in a spectacular round. He then drilled a 300-yard second shot to around eight feet before rolling in his eagle putt to roars from the galleries at the Erin Hills Course in Wisconsin.
It was a remarkable charge from Thomas, who first came to prominence as an unknown 16-year-old at the 2009 Wyndham Championship when he astounded the field with a bogey-free 65.
Thomas’s 18th-hole masterpiece allowed him to put clear daylight between himself and the chasing pack in the crowded upper reaches of the leaderboard.
“I feel comfortable. Being in contention in a major is new and I’m excited,” said Thomas.
“I hope the moment will come as soon as possible. I know I’m going to be nervous, I just need to harness that as best I can.”
The traditional moving day lived up to its reputation with a number of players exploiting benign conditions to tear into the forgiving par-72 layout.
As well as Thomas, compatriot Patrick Reed was one of the biggest early movers, surging up the field with a dazzling round that included four birdies on the front nine against one bogey.
The American Ryder Cup star then bagged a trio of birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes to thrust himself into the fray at eight under, three back from Thomas.
Reed, a fiery member of the US Ryder Cup team, said he had benefited from taking a more relaxed approach to the major.
“Every time I’ve been in majors so far, my first two years, I’ve put so much emphasis on them and tried so hard at them that I kind of got in my way,” Reed said.
Leading scores
-12 Brian Harman (US) 67 70 67
-11 Tommy Fleetwood (Britain) 67 70 68
Brooks Koepka (US) 67 70 68
Justin Thomas (US) 73 69 63/s
-10 Rickie Fowler (US) 65 73 68/s
-9 Kim Si Woo (Korea) 69 70 68/s
-8 Russell Henley (US) 71 70 67
Charley Hoffman (US) 70 70 68
Patrick Reed (US) 68 75 65
