Day three digest: U.S. Open Championship

The U.S. Open Championship is set for a dramatic finish after a thrilling and enthralling Moving Day at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Here's everything you need to know from Saturday in California.

Thrilling finish in store

Gary Woodland will be the man to catch in round four but he has a high class chasing pack not far behind him. The American carded a 69 to get to 11 under but playing partner Justin Rose birded the last to go one better and sit just one back, with the pair going out together again on the final day. Two time defending champion Brooks Koepka, 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and four time Major winner Rory McIlroy are all within five shots of the lead, with Chez Reavie also in the top six. If Woodland can hold off that lot, he will be a truly worthy champion.

Rose set to bloom again?

Ever since winning the U.S. Open in 2013, Rose has spoken of his desire to be a multiple Major Champion to go with being a multiple Rolex Series and World Golf Championships winner (and World Number One and European Number One and Olympic gold medallist and FedEx Cup winner and Ryder Cup hero). He has come close to achieving his goal on a number of occasions, most notably in losing a play-off to Sergio Garcia at the 2017 Masters Tournament, and he will head out in the final group on Sunday with all that experience behind him. “One back gives me the freedom to feel like I’ve got everything to gain, nothing to lose,” he said. “I’m not chasing, really, I’m so close to Gary that I have to go out and play my game."

Back nine brilliance

Woodland may have only made one birdie on the back nine on Saturday but that is not to say he didn't put on a show. After finding a horrible lie on the 12th, he missed the green and looked certain to record a bogey only to chip in and save his par. Just two holes later he looked certain to slip up again but holed a 40 foot putt to again save par and keep up the pressure. To his credit, Rose kept his head and made his birdie on both holes in a truly thrilling battle down the stretch.

Wonderful Willett's U.S. Open renaissance

It would be fair to say that Danny Willett's record at the U.S. Open would have been a disappointment to him entering this week. A total of 49 over for 13 rounds, with none of those rounds being in the 60s. Well the 2016 Masters Tournament Champion put that right in some style, carding a 67 that left him seven shots off the lead and still in with a chance of winning a second Major.

Stenson proves a hit

Henrik Stenson has long been known as one of the European Tour's great jokers but he must have feared a serious situation when his second shot on the 16th struck a spectator on the head. When the Swede went up to see if the fan was okay he found him laid on the ground but, happily, all was well and Stenson was invited to lie down next to the fan and have a selfie taken.