US Open: Box office Bryson DeChambeau receives mid-round physiotherapy in woods – then muscles into lead

Bryson DeChambeau lay sprawled on his back, gazing up at the towering pine trees as a physiotherapist worked him over. Then he got up, dusted himself down, and wrenched control of the US Open.

Bryson DeChambeau lay sprawled on his back, gazing up at the towering pine trees as a physiotherapist worked him over. Then he got up, dusted himself down, and wrenched control of the US Open. North Carolina’s sweltering Pinehurst No. 2 course became an impromptu stage for the big-hitting, fist-pumping DeChambeau show on Saturday, as the American surged into a three stroke lead with a captivating third round performance. The in-form LIV Golf star rolled in six birdies en route to a three-under 67 – the second-best score of the round – to take a giant step closer to a second US Open title, having powered to a six-shot victory at Winged Foot Golf Club, New York in 2020. “Amazing. Made a lot of great putts today, I’ll tell you that,” DeChambeau, who finished tied-sixth at the Masters and runner-up at the PGA Championship, told reporters. “Tomorrow, it’s the same quote I’ve said all week: Trying to have boring golf. Middle of the greens never move, so I am going to try and hit a lot of the greens, give myself some good looks on some holes and two-putt a lot.” Few would have described DeChambeau’s golf as boring on Saturday. Tournament organizers issued an extreme heat warning ahead of tee off as temperatures ticked past the 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) mark, yet DeChambeau showed little interest in playing it cool.