Eleven players within four shots, Sunday at Shinnecock

US Open leaderboard http://www.usopen.com/scoring.html

A lot of what we talked about in yesterday's post came about, on what was a wild Saturday at the US Open on a Shinnecock course that became almost unplayable at day's end.

Dustin Johnson shot 77 after a terrible front nine of 41, the wind did freshen by the time he went out around 3pm, and the course did dry out and bake, "they lost the course," in the words of Zack Johnson referring to the USGA who did apologize afterwards.

The facts are today there are 11 players within 4 shots of the leading score, 22 within 5 and  4 of them are tied in the lead at +3. They are DJ, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau who both went out early when there was little wind and life in the greens and shot 66, and last year's champion Brooks Koepka.

Justin Rose is +4, Henrik Stenson +5, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jim Furyk of all people, Patrick Reed are all +6, and a slew including Branden Grace, Tyrrell Hatton, Charlie Hoffman and Ian Poulter are at +7

It's now a real horse race with a bunch of great storylines, and despite his 77, Dustin Johnson who did fight back on his inward nine would still be in the lead but for a bogey at the 18th.

The other fact is that the breeze will not be as strong today with 13kph listed as the highest, it will be sunny and warm and after a night of watering, the course should be a fairer test to all, not just the early tee times.

However someone will shoot 66 today, maybe even 65 and with birdies at a premium even in calm conditions at Shinnecock, that somebody could be the winner.

Tee times: Berger and Finau are out last at 2.24, DJ and Koepka at 2.13, Rose and Stenson again at 2.02, Aphibarnrat and Reed at 1.51 and I have a feeling about the star from Thailand who quietly shot 68 yesterday, so don't be surprised if he gets right in the mix.

What about Steady Eddie Jim Furyk, now assistant coaching the Ryder Cup squad, unheard from otherwise all year. 73 71 72 +6. What a shocker he would be!

Let's just stop the hysteria about Phil Mickelson running over to stop his missed putt from rolling down and off the green. It was the wrong thing to do for sure at any professional tournament, never mind the US Open, and I would have been ok with it if he'd been DQ, but to howl about this being his legacy is irresponsible at the least.

As I mentioned earlier there are a bunch of great storylines all locked and loaded, ready to roll this Sunday at Shinnecock, and like a good Agatha Christie mystery we won't know who wunnit til the end.

Bryan Angus