Harmon leads young guns in a wide open race for US Open title

US Open leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/us-open/leaderboard.html

Yesterday we talked about the crowded leaderboard and all the big names who missed the cut, and we also talked about the overnight rain, the wide fairways and lack of wind that have made Erin Hills vulnerable, and congratulations, we were right!

Only six players had ever reached -10 or lower in the previous 116 U.S. Opens. There are five players today at that score or better, with the leader Brian Harmon at -12.

42 players shot under par on Saturday, another US Open record.

The best score of the day went to young Justin Thomas in his pink pants who had an astonishing finish, landing a 3-wood on the 18th green from 310 yards that landed like a wedge, settling just 8 feet away, and he made that for eagle, for a remarkable record setting -9 63.

Thomas became the fifth player to shoot 63 in a U.S. Open and the first player at 9 under.

“It doesn’t matter how long, how whatever the course is,” Thomas said about the longest course in major championship history. “When you give us soft greens, good greens and not much wind, you know there are going to be some good scores. I was just happy that I was the one that was able to take advantage of it today"

Brian Harman, the little lefty whose life has been turned around appropriately on this Fathers Day, by the recent birth of his daughter, plotted his way around Erin Hills, staying in the fairways and putting beautifully to the top of the leaderboard for a -5 67 and a one-shot lead over Thomas, Brooks Koepka (68) and Tommy Fleetwood (68), all at -11. He recently won the Wells Fargo and would become the first lefty to win the  US Open.

Thomas is staying with his best pal, Rickie Fowler who stayed right in contention with three straight birdies for 68 -10 total. He is my pick to win today.

Adam Hadwin opened with 68, but has slipped into a T47 with rounds of 74 75 +1 total.

So there are 16 players within 6 shots of the lead who have never won a major, and it looks like there will be the seventh straight first time winner of a major.

So much for the big boys who all missed the cut. With the Tiger era over, this is the new world of golf. I don't think there will ever be another era when one or two guys will dominate.

There are so many great young players, and they are from all around the world, let's see which one holds the trophy come 7 o'clock tonight.

Bryan Angus