Rickie Fowler Shares Lead Heading into Final Round of 2023 U.S. Open

A decade ago, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy seemed poised to duke it out for the next dozen major championships. That didn’t quite pay off, but it might on Sunday.

In 2014, the twenty-something PGA figureheads were each coming off their most impressive seasons. McIlroy had won the last two majors to push his major win total to four. Fowler had just joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as only the third player to finish in the Top 5 in all four majors in a single season.

Fast forward to 2023 and Rickie has yet to lift a major trophy — though he did win the 2015 Players Championship — and Rory hasn’t taken one home in nine years. Now, entering the final round of the 2023 U.S. Open, the Rickie-Rory Rivalry is front and center.

Fowler enters Sunday tied for the U.S. Open lead with fellow former OSU golfer Wyndham Clark, one stroke ahead of McIlroy. Fowler set a record with an 8-under 62 on Thursday, but that was just the start of his historic weekend. Fowler set a U.S. Open record with 18 birdies in the first 36 holes (half!) and tied for the lowest score through 36 (130).

Following his flashy numbers Thursday and Friday, Fowler remained at the top of the leaderboard with a business-like approach on Saturday. But his day wasn’t without its highlights.

He traded three birdies for three bogeys, the last of which — a lipped-out putt in the dark on 18 — cost him what would have been his first single lead through 54 in a major. It was the only putt he’s missed inside five feet all weekend.

Fowler and Clark will tee off again in the final pairing at 4:30 p.m. CST.