The Nelspruit native carded an even par 70 around the difficult Oakmont Country Club on Saturday, leaving him 1 over for the tournament. Lawrence was one under heading into the final hole, but a bogey set him back. The South African finished solo fourth at the 2024 Open Championship, his best finish in a major championship.

Another notable South African is Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who signed for a one over 71 to move him to four over par for the major, tied for 11th with world number one Scottie Scheffler and a host of others.

Meanwhile, Burns held a one-shot advantage at the halfway stage and although he surrendered the outright lead to Spaun early in round three, he finished the day back on top after shooting a 69 that contained three birdies and two bogeys.

The 2023 Ryder Cup player sits at four under par, one shot ahead of 2013 Masters Champion Scott and first-round leader Spaun in a tie for second.

Norway's Viktor Hovland was the only other player under par at one under.

Heavy rain overnight and throughout the morning had made the brutal Oakmont Country Club course slightly more playable, but it still presented its challenges.

Burns slipped from the summit early on as he first watched playing partner Spaun make a rare birdie at the opening hole before bogeying the second to slip to two under.

But a stunning approach at the fifth set up a close-range birdie, which pulled Burns alongside Spaun at the top once more.

Seven straight pars followed for Burns before he made his next birdie from seven feet at the par-three 13th, having bravely gone right at the pin off the tee.

That took Burns back to the top of the leaderboard and he managed to stay there courtesy of an impressive par save on the 14th.

A bogey on the 16th dropped him into a tie for the lead but he got the shot back on the 17th following a delightful approach and safely parred the last to keep his nose in front after Spaun's closing bogey.

"I think as a kid growing up, you dream about winning Major Championships and that's why we practise so hard and work so hard," said the 28-year-old.

"All these guys in this field, I think would agree that to have the opportunity to win a Major is special. I'm definitely really excited for tomorrow. To have a chance to win on Father's Day would be really cool."

Scott recovered from his opening bogey with a birdie on the fourth before catching fire after the turn.

The 44-year-old Australian made back-to-back gains on the 13th and 14th - almost spinning in his approach at the latter for an eagle - before adding another birdie from 14 feet on the 17th to sign for a 67.

Scott, playing in his 96th consecutive Major this week, said: "Putting ourselves in these positions doesn't just happen by fluke. It's not easy to do it. I really haven't been in this kind of position for five or six years, or feeling like I'm that player. But that's what I'm always working towards. It's not that easy to figure it all out.

"But if I were to come away with it tomorrow, it would be a hell of a round of golf and an exclamation point on my career."

Spaun started well, becoming the only player to birdie the first hole on Saturday before bouncing back from a bogey on the third by birdieing the fourth.

Having shared the lead at the turn, he joined Burns in moving to four under with a birdie on the 17th but bogeyed the last to sit one shot off the lead.

He said: "One loose shot you can really make a big number pretty easily. So you're just trying to stay in the moment, stay in the present, play the shot that it's requiring and commit to every shot that you have, and that's kind of all you can do. I try to just stay in my own lane."

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