US Open golf 2022 LIVE: Fourth round scores and updates with McIlroy and Rahm in Sunday contention

There’s a big more red on the leaderboard now, encouragement for later? Three players are -1 through six, including Daffue, who once led of course, Max Homa and Callum Tarren. They are all +6 overall and in a tie for 45th.

Here’s the standard anybody yet to tee off will gladly take on two, as Chris Gotterup takes a rare birdie.

He’s the only player under par on the course.

-1 through three and +6 overall to be in a tie for 47th, it’s a first major for the recently-turned professional, following bright seasons with Oklahoma and Rutgers.

He’s one to watch as he picked up the Haskins Award, awarded annually to the top college golfer in the country.

Former winners include Matthew Wolff, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

Bryson DeChambeau, soon to be a LIV Golf player, is having a tough time, again. The former US Open champion is +3 through four holes today.

He’s +11 overall and way back in a tie for 60th – the good news is he literally can’t finish that low in the new Saudi-backed tour as there aren’t that many players in it.

Tyrrell Hatton is also in a tie for 60th, just +2 today and +11 overall.

So the early scores are in, Austin Greaser, the amateur from UNC, is having a troubling start, he’s +6 through four and +14 for the tournament alongside Harris English (+4 today), with fellow amateur Stewart Hagestad one better on +13 with a gentle start today, +1 through six.

Elsewhere, perhaps the best starts have been by two Europeans: Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden (+8) and Wil Besseling of the Netherlands (+9) are both level par through six and five holes respectively.

Of the 15 players out on the course, nobody is under par yet for today.

“It was one of the toughest days on a golf course I’ve had in a long time,” McIlroy said after carding at three-over round of 73. “I just needed to grind it out, and I did on the back nine.

“To play that back nine at even par today was a really good effort, I thought – kept myself in the tournament.

“I’m sort of going home thinking that I held this round together when it could have got away from me quickly.”

Will Zalatoris on the task at hand today, with a share of the lead alongside Matt Fitzpatrick:

The former Wake Forest star said: “Obviously this golf course is an absolute beast. And you look at the major champions on that leaderboard, it’s going to be no small test tomorrow.”

Will Zalatoris, 25, continues to relish the major championships, leading the US Open as we begin the final round.

The San Francisco native has played in just eight majors before this week, with five top-10 finishes. It’s a streak matched last by Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open winner no less.

He’s Masters runner-up, on debut in 2021, and was beaten in a play-off by Justin Thomas in last month’s PGA Championship, it doesn’t get much closer. So to have no PGA Tour wins, let a lone a major is surprising, is it now his time?

“I think especially coming off the PGA, it gave me a lot of belief and confidence that I belong in this situation,” he said. “I’ve put myself in this situation a few times in my career, and obviously have to go out and get it tomorrow.”

“Honestly, it was one of the most amazing moments of my entire life,’’ said an emotional Bradley after finishing up on Saturday.

“I got to feel what it feels like to play in Fenway, to play in the Garden, to play in Gillette Stadium. I felt like a Boston player there.

“That was a moment I’ll never forget the rest of my life, and I appreciate the fans giving me that, and I hope to have them cheer again [Sunday].’’

If it can’t be settled in 72 holes, the US Open will go to a play-off, with history hinting at overtime at the Country Club, having gone there on the three previous occasions it has hosted this tournament.

Amateur Francis Ouimet firstly stunned British duo of Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in 1913.

Then, 50 years later, it was the legendary Arnold Palmer who lost an 18-hole playoff for the second year in a row, with Julius Boros prevailing.

And last time out it was Curtis Strange who edged out Nick Faldo in 1988 to land the major.

With 16 players separated by just five shots, we could be in for a late one, but it won’t be that late, with 18-hole play-offs before.

Now it will be a two-hole aggregate playoff if any players are tied up after 72. If they’re still tied up after two extra holes, we go to sudden death.

Here we go then, let’s hope for a good one!

The hole locations are available to look at below.

Will we see some complaints or do the USGA fancy a tear up on the back nine unlike traditional US Open set-ups.