Round 3 of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines kicked off on Saturday with both Phil Mickelson and Xander Schauffele advancing to the weekend.
The weekend at Torrey Pines features major champions and major contenders, players who are unknown or unheralded, all of them still within reach of that U.S. Open trophy.
A long eagle putt and steady play has moved Mackenzie Hughes into a share of the lead at the U.S. Open.
Hughes made a 63-foot eagle putt on the par-5 13th at Torrey Pines and shot a 3-under 68 in the third round. He's tied with overnight co-leader Russell Henley at 5 under.
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Hughes reached the 589-yard 13th in two and snaked in a putt similar to the one Tiger Woods made in the third round of the 2008 U.S. Open. The 30-year-old Canadian got up and down from the greenside bunker on No. 18 to close out the second straight under-par round.
Henley reached 6 under when he holed out for birdie on the par-3 11th but had a bogey on the par-4 15th when he couldn't get up and down from a bunker.
By 2 p.m., whatever thoughts Phil Mickelson had of finally winning a U.S. Open will have to wait until next year. The 51-year-old PGA champion had a rough time at Torrey Pines.
Mickelson was wild off the tee early and it cost him. And then he struggled on the greens, particularly a four-putt double bogey on the 17th hole. It added to a 40 on the back nine for a 76, and Mickelson was toward the bottom of the leaderboard.
Lefty's assessment: “I just completely lost it out there.”
The good news? As PGA champion, he gets four more cracks at the only major keeping him from the career Grand Slam.
Attendance capacity for the tournament is expected to be around 10,000 to 15,000 fans per day, according to the USGA.
Tournament Coverage
- Round 1
- 9:30-4 p.m. on Golf Channel; 4-7 p.m. on NBC 7.
- Exclusive Peacock coverage from 6:45 a.m.-9:30 a.m.; 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Watch a special edition of NBC 7 live from the course at 7 p.m.
- Round 2
- 9:30-3 p.m. on Golf Channel; 3-6 on NBC 7.
- Exclusive Peacock Round 2 Coverage: 6:45 a.m.-9:30 a.m.; 7-8 p.m.
- Round 3
- 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on NBC 7.
- Exclusive Peacock coverage all day.
- Round 4
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on NBC 7.
- Exclusive Peacock coverage all day.
Notable Thursday Tee Times (times pushed roughly 45 minutes due to fog delay)
- 7:29 a.m. – Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
- 7:51 a.m. – Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, Phil Mickelson
- 1:14 p.m. – Tyler Strafaci, Hideki Matsuyama, Bryson DeChambeau
- 1:36 p.m. – Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose
- 1:36 p.m. – Marc Leishman, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed
- 1:58 p.m. - Kevin Streelman, Branden Grace, Charley Hoffman
- Full list here.
