The Country Club does not suffer loose play. That notion was confirmed over and over on day three of the 2022 US Open in Brookline. I don’t suppose that we have instant access to their scorecards, but I wonder if Ted Ray or Harry Vardon had runs of bogeys like the leaders all seemed to experience today. Scottie Scheffler stood at minus-six when he reached the 11th tee. An airmailed green led to a double, which led to three consecutive bogeys, and a plus-four inward half. Rory McIlroy began the day at four-under par, but opened with three bogeys in his first six holes. The Northern Irishman steadied his game, and played even-par golf throughout the round’s remaining holes. Finally, consider poor Collin Morikawa, the co-leader through 36 holes. His lone, Saturday birdie (at the fifth) was sandwiched between two bogeys and a double. On the inward half, Morikawa endured a bogey-double-par-bogey stretch to post 77 on the day and drop six shots off the lead.

There was a lot of baggage left strewn about Willie Campbell’s course on day three of the 2022 American national championship. Ergo, we have no need to really unpack anything. Instead, let’s attempt to organize this yard sale and delineate the five most important things that we learned on Saturday at the 2022 US Open.

They love it. He loves it. ?@Minwoo27Lee starts his second side with a birdie. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/DkCAlJx0CD

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

1. Par, etc.

Seven rounds of sub-par golf were joined by three cards at even par. The Squirrel and the Clyde, with a spritz of Primrose, combined to frustrate and humble the 64 golfers fortunate enough to survive Friday’s cut. Eight holes were cut within 15 feet of an edge. What made the putting greens so challenging was the inconsistency of the hole locations. There was no rhythm to establish, as flagsticks flew left, then right, then fore, then aft. With green speeds in the 12 range all day, and a firmness to equal, there was little margin for error.

Good bogey or bad bogey? #USOpen pic.twitter.com/j9TxHNrqIU

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

2. The Amateur Game

The descendants of Ouimet were not immune from the diffulties of Brookline as the weekend arrived. Of the four who made the cut, Sam Bennett posted 74 for the best score. Austin Greaser and Travis Vick each signed for 76, while Stewart Hagestad posted 79. With 18 holes remaining in the tournament, Vick holds a two-shot advantage over Greaser for the vaunted title of low amateur, with Bennett one more shot back. Hagestad sits seven behind Vick, but will at least walk away with a medal for surviving the cut as a non-professional. Will the swallow stalk Vick’s ball again on Sunday? Anything is possible around The Country Club’s composite course.

#EFEfotos | Una golondrina común sobrevuela la bola del estadounidense Travis Vick. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/lUloY8yIdd

— EFE Deportes (@EFEdeportes) June 18, 2022

3. Who went away?

Let’s begin with Morikawa. He dropped from tied for first to tied for 17th. He’s just six shots back of the leaders, but will need something in the mid 60s on Sunday to make a run. How about two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka? Only the greatest of the greats truly learn how to control the tournament. Mickey Wright did, as did Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Brooks is proving to be the Retief Goosen of his generation: he had the answer, then he lost the answer. Five-over par on Saturday sent Koepka away to 40th, nine back of the lead. For Joel Dahmen, the other co-leader, things were neither as good nor as bad as they were for Morikawa. Dahmen had zero birdies on Saturday, but he had just four bogies, and all came on the front nine. For a first appearance in the a final major group on the weekend, Dahmen’s performance was hardly the worst ever. Can he rebound on Sunday to contend? What a story it would be.

That's what you call an ????????? bounceback.@collin_morikawa follows up his bogey with a birdie to get back to 5 under. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/rtoTmKrDti

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

4. Who jumped up?

Let’s begin with those we did not expect. Adam Hadwin, the first-round leader, posted 70 to find himself two back of the lead. Keegan Bradley went minus-one on Saturday, and joined Hadwin at two-under par. Scottie Schefler had the lead to himself on a few occasions on day three, but had a wretched stretch (think five over in four holes) to start the inward half, and landed at the same figure. Defending champion Jon Rahm also assumed ownership of the lead, but it didn’t last. Rahm reached the last at minus-five, drove into the rough, moved his second all of two yards, and closed with double bogey for three-under par. The most impressive moves came from Will Zalatoris (67 for -4) and Matt Fitzpatrick (68 for -4), who will tee off in the final group on Sunday.

He's won here before. ? @MattFitz94 moves to the top of the board. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Q2op16qEEn

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

5. What’s going to happen?

Honestly, no one has any idea. No single competitor has separated himself from the field, in any capacity. Rahm should win, because he did it last year. Except, he did it out west, on a PGA Tour course that doubles as US Open venue once a decade, so he won’t. Fitzpatrick did it here in 2013 at the US Amateur, except brother Alex isn’t on the bag this time, so he won’t. Scheffler appears to have figured out how to play four great rounds in a major (see Masters 2022) except Augusta National doesn’t metamorphose on a daily bases like US Open courses do, so he won’t.

Take a look at the stats leaders, and what you’ll see is total irrelevance. The top four in greens in regulation are T7, T11, T25, and T11. The top four in fairways hit are T7, T45, T11, and T4. The top four in putting are T40, T49, T17, and T4. You could say Dahmen or Scheffler or any number of other golfers, and you might be right or wrong. Soooooooo…

Here are our top three to win on Sunday, in no particular order, for no particular reason.

1. Sam Burns
2. Gary Woodland
3. Rory McIlroy

The last time @FitzAlex99 walked around The Country Club, he was 14 and caddying for his brother @MattFitz94 in the #USAmateur.

Now he's back cheering on his brother in a #USOpen! pic.twitter.com/Us0iRjYMIv

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022