Day nearly quit 3 times during Saturday’s US Open third round

The Sports Xchange

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- Jason Day captured a share of the third-round lead at the 115th U.S. Open and in the process found a place in golf lore and in the hearts of the spectators at Chambers Bay on Saturday.

The Australian, who endured a medical crisis during Friday's second round and nearly quit three times in the third round, shot a 2-under 68 to put himself in a four-way tie for the lead at 4 under par with Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Branden Grace.

Day fell down on his final hole Friday, the par-3 ninth, and was on the ground for more than 10 minutes and later diagnosed with benign positional vertigo. He has a history of vertigo, dropping out or not competing in tournaments because of it.

It wasn't certain that he would even play Saturday, but he played well, despite clearly moving slower and with caution.

In a short interview session after the round, Day said, 'I didn't feel that great coming out early and then felt like -- I felt pretty groggy on the front nine just from the drugs that I had in my system. Then kind of flushed that out on the back nine.

'But then it kind of came back -- the vertigo came back a little bit on the 13th tee box, and then felt nauseous all day. I started shaking on 16 tee box and then just tried to get it in, really.

'Just wanted to get it in. Last year, I didn't play the round after I had vertigo and this one was worse. I think the goal was just to go through today and see how it goes.”

His playing partner, Kevin Kisner, told Fox 'like they say, 'be scared of sick golfers.'”

Day's caddie, Colin Swatton, told the media that Day nearly quit three times during the round. Yet despite his weariness, he birdied three of his final five holes.

'It was the greatest round I've even seen,” Swatton said.

Spieth, with an up-and-down afternoon, missed three short birdie putts down the stretch and shot 1-over 71. Johnson had a par 70 as did Grace, a South African.

Spieth, the reigning Masters champion, is trying to join some elite company among players who have won the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year. The others are Tiger Woods (2002), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Arnold Palmer (1960), Ben Hogan (1951, 1953) and Craig Wood (1941).

Second-round co-leader Patrick Reed had three double-bogeys by the 10th hole and finished with a 6-over 76 and is in a three-way tie for ninth at 1 over.

The biggest winner of the day was Chambers Bay. It refused to yield. There were only six rounds under par on the 7,695-yard course. After three rounds, there are just eight players in the red.

The best round of the day was turned in by Louis Oosthuizen with a 4-under 66. He in a group of four at 1 under.

'Being 9 over through 20 holes, it looked like I would have been back in Florida,” said Oosthuizen, who started with a 77 Thursday and followed with two 66s.

Cedar Rapids native Zach Johnson was a victim of Chambers Bay. Johnson shot an 8-over 78 and is in a tie for 69th in the 75-player field.

Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, with a combined nine major championships, took themselves out of viable positions to win another.

McIlroy was betrayed by his putter. He finished at par 70 and is 4 over.

Mickelson shot a 77.