124th U.S. Open - Day three digest

Everything you need to know from day three at the third Major Championship of the DP World Tour season.

Bryson DeChambeau moved ahead, Rory McIlroy was ready for the chase, Matthieu Pavon was taking it all in his stride and Shane Lowry was being tortured on day three of the U.S. Open.

Here is everything you need to know from Saturday at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.

DeChambeau moves ahead

DeChambeau will take a three-shot lead into the final round after carding a 67 on a testing day three. The No. 2 Course is always a daunting challenge but on a day with more wind than rounds one and two, just seven players broke 70 as DeChambeau moved to seven under. McIlroy and Pavon were among them, signing for rounds of 69 to sit alongside Patrick Cantlay, who stayed at four under after a 70. Swede Ludvig Åberg carded a 73 to sit five shots off the lead alongside Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who recorded a 70.

McIlroy loving Pinehurst

McIlroy was enjoying being tested to his limits as the No. 2 Course bared its teeth. The Northern Irishman said he "loved" the challenge as he carded his 69 and he will love it even more should he win a fifth Major Championship on Sunday. "I love the test that Pinehurst is presenting and you've got to focus and concentrate on every single shot out there," he said. "It's what a U.S. Open should be like. It's obviously great to be in the mix."

'It's just golf'

Another man who carded a 69 to get to four under was Pavon, who will go out alongside DeChambeau in the final group on Sunday. It will be a huge day for the Frenchman, who has only claimed his maiden DP World Tour and PGA TOUR victories in the last nine months, but he is taking it all in his stride. "It's just golf," he said. "At the end of the day, it's me against the golf course. Even more in Majors, my only goal every time I show up is trying to beat the golf course. Here it's tough. The only thing I'm focused on is that goal, and this is what I'm going to do tomorrow."

Lowry not enjoying Pinehurst's craic

Lowry labelled his 70 on day three as the best level-par round he had ever shot after coming through the “absolute mental torture” of Pinehurst No. 2. Lowry made the halfway cut on the mark of five over par and remained on that total after carding three birdies and three bogeys. The national open of the United States is often regarded as golf's toughest test and it is living up that moniker this week, with punishing waste areas and lightning fast greens making life difficult for the world's best. "It’s torture out there, honestly it’s absolute mental torture,” said Lowry. "That’s the best level par I’ve ever shot in my life. It’s not much craic out there to be honest."

No putter required

We had plenty of hole-outs on days one and two and Moving Day was no different.