Irish eyes smiling in US Open after Graeme McDowell's superb third round of 68

THIS time last year Graeme McDowell was at home in Northern Ireland cheering like everyone else as his great mate Rory McIlroy took ownership of his US Open trophy.

Graeme McDowell US Open

THIS time last year Graeme McDowell was at home in Northern Ireland cheering like everyone else as his great mate Rory McIlroy took ownership of his US Open trophy.

After McDowell's superb third round of 68 yesterday, the roles could be thrillingly reversed.

No one is happier than McDowell when the test calls for patience and inner fortitude, when par is a meaningful score.

It was a two-hour drive down the road at Pebble Beach that McDowell won this trophy two years ago.

In the first three rounds at Olympic Club, he has had that same look in his eye and the same equable temperament to be one of only two players under par with a round to play.

The other is Jim Furyk, who may well be his American equivalent and was his playing partner for the first two rounds.

The two were paired up once more for today's final round, in the spot that carries all the pressure.

Not once in four previous US Opens at Olympic has the third-round leader gone on to win.

Tiger Woods, who was tied for the halfway lead with Furyk and David Toms, had a shocker on and around the slick greens yesterday.

In nine previous appearances when leading at the halfway stage in a major, he had never shot an over-par round. Here he was five strokes worse than that mark after a 75, including a bogey-par-bogey finish.

Completing his day of misery was a stubbed chip at the last. As former US Open champion Johnny Miller said: "That was embarrassing for a player of his calibre."

As he came off the 18th green Woods, with his head down, bumped into a cameraman and clearly felt some pain in his right wrist. John Senden was the best placed of the Australians, carding an impressive 68 to move into a tie for eighth.

"I really thought that par figures today would be a great round. So shooting two under and seeing the leaders not going anywhere, I think we have a chance to give it a shot," Senden said.

- Daily Mail with AAP