Like any savvy patient who gets a bad diagnosis, Sam Burns wanted a second opinion. When his drive on Oakmont’s par-4 15th hole stayed on the fairway next to the first cut, he seemed to catch a good break. But when Burns arrived at the ball, it looked and felt to him that it was sitting in standing water from the day’s earlier heavy rain storm.

Sam Burns entered the final round of the 2025 U.S. Open in the lead, and it appeared he might be the only player to survive Oakmont. That was not the case.

Sam Burns took a one-shot lead into the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont. From there, things did not go well.

It just showed a clever bit of awareness and foresight. In the heat of the pressure and the pouring rain, Burns stopped himself from making a potentially very costly error. It was a small moment, but the kind of decision that wins U.S. Opens.

Sam Burns backed up his second-round 65 with a 69 in the third round of the U.S. Open, and he has a one-shot lead over J.J. Spaun and Adam Scott. Burns will enter the final round at 4 under. Follow live coverage here.

With three rounds of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club complete, Sam Burns holds a one shot lead and will look to close it out on Sunday and win his first major championship. Burns entered the weekend with the lead after finding ways to tame some of Oakmont's challenges, firing a 65 to move to -3 on the leaderboard.

Moving day at Oakmont Country Club saw Sam Burns take a one stroke lead at the U.S. Open. See how Round 3 went with updates and scores.

Sam Burns has had a stellar week at the U.S. Open, but the PGA Tour golfer is used to playing with high-profile partners. With Burns in contention to win the U.S. Open, fans pointed to an old Instagram post Burns made last fall.