Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark share 54-hole lead at U.S. Open - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Rickie Fowler brought the buzz to the U.S. Open with a 70-foot birdie putt only to lose the lead by missing from 3 1/2 feet on the final hole Saturday, giving him a share of the lead with Wyndham Clark and setting up a Sunday filled with possibilities.

Right there with them was Rory McIlroy. He played a steady hand — one birdie and one bogey over his last 14 holes on a course that finally started to play like a U.S. Open. McIlroy had a 69 that left him one shot behind, poised to end nine long years without a major.

«It's nice to be in the hunt,» McIlroy said.

Fowler had to settle for an even-par 70. Clark escaped big trouble from the barranca with a 6-foot par putt on the 17th to stay close, and then boldly took on a tight left pin at the 18th for a 6-foot birdie for a 69 that allowed him to catch Fowler.

The final hour brought a surprise at every turn. A long day of blazing sunshine baking the North course at Los Angeles Country Club gave way to the infamous marine layer that brought out some sweatshirts late in the day.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, never looked to be in the mix until he closed out his round of 68 by holing a 7-iron from 196 yards on the 17th hole and making a 20-foot birdie putt that put him in the penultimate group with McIlroy.

For so many others, it didn't take much to lose ground.

Xander Schauffele began his round by taking three shots to get out of a fairway bunker, making three bogeys in five holes, only to get it all back before losing ground at the end with a series of poor drives. He was at 73, five shots back.

Harris English kept pace with the leaders until he missed short putts, big drives and ended his day with a chip shot from the deep collar around the