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.

Moving Day holds a different meaning at an Oakmont-hosted U.S. Open as scores could only go so low despite golfers doing their damndest to progress up the leaderboard during Saturday's third round. Instead,

Burns, statistically the world's best putter, hooped a clutch par save to shoot 65 Friday at Oakmont and enter this U.S. Open weekend at 3 under.

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 has the lead in the U.S. Open on a rain-soaked Oakmont course and faces his biggest test. The 28-year-old from Louisiana has never contended in 20 previous majors.

Saturday was moving day at the US Open and Adam Scott took that to heart, charging up the leaderboard and ending the day a shot behind leader Sam Burns.

Burns, a 28-year-old from Louisiana, has five PGA Tour titles, the last one more than two years ago. Despite that, he leads the quartet under par through 54 holes.

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.