Golf-Pavon, DeChambeau, Finau top crowded U.S. Open leaderboard

Jun 15, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Matthieu Pavon hits from the first fairway during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

(Reuters) -Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau topped a tightly-packed U.S. Open leaderboard midway through the third round on Saturday at steamy Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

Jun 15, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Bryson DeChambeau hits from the number two tee box during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

Two behind overnight leader Ludvig Aberg at the start of the day, Pavon surged ahead with an error-free front nine but fell back after his first bogey at the par-four 11th to sit on five under.

The Frenchman was soon joined by 2020 U.S. Open winner DeChambeau and Finau, who got to five-under by rolling in a seven-footer for birdie at the ninth.

Lurking one back of the leading trio were Swede Aberg and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who his hunting an elusive fifth major.

Masters runner-up Aberg, looking to become the first U.S. Open champion to win on his debut since Francis Ouimet in 1913, started strongly with a birdie at the third but slipped back with bogeys at four and nine.

Two off the pace were Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Cantlay.

Some of golf's best have been left baffled by tricky Pinehurst No. 2 including world number one Scottie Scheffler, who for the third consecutive round could not break par, carding a one-over 71.

Jun 15, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Tony Finau hits from the second tee box during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

Scheffler, winner of five of his last eight starts and runner-up in two others, was the red hot favourite coming into Pinehurst but has been openly frustrated by his play that has him left on six-over and well out of contention.

"Another frustrating day," summed up Scheffler. "I just didn't make enough birdies to stay in the tournament, I think I only had four birdies for the week which is not going to get it done, the leads currently at five-under.

"Especially at a U.S. Open golf course where you know you are going to make some bogeys.

"The game of golf is a mental torture chamber at times, especially the U.S. Open."

"It's going to be really challenging."

Brooks Koepka, a five-times major winner and twice U.S. Open champion, also returned a one-over 71 to join Scheffler on six over.

Former British Open champion Francesco Molinari aced his final hole on Friday to make the cut right on the number but the Italian could not carry that momentum into the third round, carding a 77 to drop to 12-over for the tournament.

(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Ed Osmond)