U.S. Open snippets from third round at Erin Hills

Open on Saturday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Englishman Tommy Fleetwood will enter Sunday's final round one shot from the lead but says he will not be dreaming about becoming U.S. Open champion:

"It would change my life, I know that. I've pictured winning the U.S. Open a lot of times before. Doing it all night is not going to help and not make any difference."

The U.S. Open has the reputation of being the toughest test in golf where par can be the best score of the day but it was not nearly good enough for American J.B. Holmes on Saturday at Erin Hills:

"Usually when you shoot even in the U.S. Open and you're one off the lead, you're not six down afterwards."

HOLE OF THE DAY

At 516 yards, even golf's biggest hitters are left with long second shots at the monstrous par-four third, which may be why there were only two birdies in third round play.

There were also 43 pars, 20 bogeys and two double-bogeys as the hole averaged 4.37 strokes.

It was also the hole that undid third round co-leader Paul Casey, who saw his round unravel when he took a triple-bogey seven after pushing his approach shot into the long fescue rough and then having a fresh-air shot as his club passed underneath his ball.

PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY

It would be impossible to find anyone who had a better day than American Justin Thomas, his nine-under 63 the best round ever at a U.S. Open.

Thomas's magical round equals the lowest numerical score in a major and the best ever in the 117-year history of the U.S. Open in relation to par.

He also becomes just the 29th player to register a 63 in one of golf's four majors. (Compiled by Steve Keating in Erin, Wisconsin. Editing by Andrew Both)