Harman leads U.S. Open despite Thomas’ record 9-under round

ERIN, Wis. — Justin Thomas may have established a U.S. Open scoring record on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to get him to the top of the leaderboard heading into Sunday’s final round at Erin Hills.

Brian Harman fired a 5-under-par 67 to get to 12-under for the championship and holds a one-shot lead over Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood of England and Brooks Koepka.

Thomas established a U.S. Open championship mark by shooting 9-under 63, which broke Johnny Miller’s record for lowest score in relation to par.

Miller held the previous record after he shot 8-under in the final round of the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Harman and Fleetwood began Saturday’s third round as part of a four-way tie for the lead with Paul Casey and Koepka. Casey shot a 3-over 75 on Saturday to drop to eight shots back behind Harman.

Harman narrowly missing a birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole to finish at 204.

Fleetwood overtook Thomas for the lead with a birdie at 15 and missed an opportunity to get to 13 under when his birdie putt on the par-3 16th hole rolled over the left lip of the cup.

After pars at 16 and 17, Fleetwood dropped into a second-place tie following a bogey on 18 when his fourth shot rolled off the back of the green.

Thomas’ historic round included nine birdies, including three straight to finish the front nine. Thomas, who had two bogeys on Saturday, birdied Nos. 15 and 17 before he hit a 3-wood on his approach shot on the par-5 18th hole to set up a short eagle putt that allowed him to get to 11-under for the tournament.

But Thomas’ lead, which sat at two shots after he eagled 18, lasted only temporarily as Fleetwood and Harman each birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to get to 12-under.

Rickie Fowler, who led the tournament after shooting a 65 in Thursday’s opening round, will begin Sunday in fifth place, two shots off the lead. Fowler shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to remain in contention for his first major championship.

NOTES: Patrick Reed, who shot a 65 on Saturday, wore a red, white and blue ensemble that included the blue pants he wore during the 2016 Ryder Cup, when the United States captured its first title since 2008. Asked if he had any say in what he wore, Reed said that his clothes are normally picked out for tournaments by his wife, his mother-in-law and sister-in-law. “You know, happy wife, happy life,” Reed said. … After establishing the U.S. Open scoring record, Justin Thomas — who holds PGA marks for the best 36-hole, 54-hole and 72-hole records — was asked if he considers himself the best player in the world. “(There’s) no reason to answer that,” said Thomas, who is currently ranked 13th in the world. “I can’t win with the answer to that question.