US Open: Justin Rose one back from Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach
By Ali Stafford at Pebble Beach
Last Updated: 16/06/19 5:30pm
Justin Rose remains in the hunt for a second US Open title after moving within a shot of leader Gary Woodland after the third round at Pebble Beach.
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Rose birdied the par-five last to post a three-under 68 and close the gap on Woodland, who held onto his overnight lead throughout the day and moved to 11 under with a two-under 69.
Back-to-back US Open champion Brooks Koepka is part of the chasing pack after a bogey-free 68 lifted him into tied-third on seven under alongside Chez Reavie and Louis Oosthuizen, who birdied three of his last four holes, with Rory McIlroy a further shot back in sixth spot on six under.
Playing alongside Rose, Woodland opened with three straight pars before firing his approach at the fourth to tap-in range as he matched the Englishman's birdie.
Woodland got up and down from the sand to hole a 10-footer to save par at the fifth, where Rose shanked a chip in the bunker and made bogey, before birdieing the sixth to briefly go four clear.
A two-shot swing at the eighth saw Rose roll in from eight feet and Woodland three-putt from the fringe, only for Woodland to convert from three feet at the 11th to move three in front.
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Woodland's lead reduced at the next despite pitching in from the fringe for par, as Rose posted a birdie-two but then missed a four-footer to save par at the 13th.
The American drained a 45-footer at the par-five 14th to salvage an unlikely par after hacking out of the rough, as Rose made a 12-foot birdie before getting up-and-down from a greenside bunker to pick up a shot at the last.
"I'm in a great position going into tomorrow," said Rose. "Had a great day with Gary, he's awesome to play with. We are good friends, so from that point of view, it's going to be a fun day.
"Being one back gives me the freedom to feel like I've got everything to gain, and nothing to lose. It's always a position that doesn't mean I have to approach the day any differently than if I was one ahead. I'm close enough that I have to build my plan, build my round of golf and be disciplined.
"I'm not chasing, really, I'm so close to Gary that I have to go out and play my game tomorrow. And I think it's going to be dictated by the pin placements and the weather tomorrow as to how aggressive you can be and what it will take to win."
Koepka made his move with a two-putt birdie at the sixth and he added a 25-footer at the next, with the world No 1 adding another from 10 feet at the 10th and holing a putt from off the green to save par at the 15th on his way to a blemish-free card.
The four-time major champion will go out alongside Reavie, who matched his 68, while Oosthuizen posted a second successive 70 to complete the trio on seven under.
McIlroy had reached the turn level-par and ended a run of pars with a 12-foot birdie at the 15th, before cancelling out a bogey-four at the 17th with a two-putt gain at the par-five last to get to six under.
2010 Pebble Beach champion Graeme McDowell eagled the last to join Matt Wallace, who also eagled 18, Henrik Stenson, Jon Rahm and Danny Willett - who fired a round-of-the-day 67 - in a share of ninth.
Tiger Woods remains in the group on level-par after a 71, while Phil Mickelson saw his Grand Slam hopes ended for another year after a four-over 75, which included an eighth at the last, dropped him to tied-48th.
Watch the final round of the US Open live on Sunday from 7pm on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.
