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For anyone thinking of changing putter, watching Shane Lowry on Saturday is only likely to have added to that feeling isn't it?

The 2019 Open champion was on fire on the greens and was so, so close to a major championship scoring record after going round Valhalla in a 62.

His three rounds so far....69, 69 and 62. Wonder what number the Irishman, who changed his flatstick a couple of weeks ago, will have on his mind for today?

Anything in the mid 60s is sure to give him a decent chance of adding to the Claret Jug he collected at Royal Portrush.

He looks in relaxed mood judging by the TV shots of him strolling around laughing with Viktor Hovland, earlier.

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Now then, the top end of the leaderboard is packed with players who have won major championships before with the likes of Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau, and Justin Rose all hoping to accomplish that feat again.

But of course there are others still hoping to taste that winning feeling in one of golf's big four tournaments for the first time.

And judging on what we've seen so far this week Sahith Theegala has got every chance of grabbing that breakthrough victory at Valhalla.

The 26-year-old is already up to 12th in the world rankings and had had a couple of runner-up finishes this year on the PGA Tour.

Justin Rose trusts his short game on the first. The 2103 US Open champion bumps his second down the fairway and then chips to four feet before rolling in for par.

Robert MacIntyre finds the green with his second but he's not exactly flag hunting and takes two putts from 28 feet for his four.

Bryson DeChambeau's weakest metric so far this week has been the approach - it looks like he's taking steps to combat that with a majestic iron into the first green.

Staring down the throat of an opening birdie.

Not so exciting for Viktor Hovland who has hooked his second shot wide right and will be attacking the green from the first cut.

Back-to-back birdies for Japan's Ryo Hisatsune on five and six, oh hold on, and now another on the seventh hole.

The 21-year-old, who missed the cut at the Masters last month in his first ever major is up into a tie for 13th.

It's a first birdie of the day for Aaron Rai.

The Englishman takes advantage of the par five seventh. A well placed tee shot into the fairway gives him a chance to get one in close.

His second lands at the fringe of the green and a bit too far for a real eagle chance. He knocks it to five feet and cooly putts it in to get one if his early dropped shots back.

Playing partner Matt Wallace continues his steady day with another par.

Justin Thomas with a sprinkle of wizardry out of the sand at three, when he's badly short-sided himself but generates enough speed, gets a perfect contact that sends the ball up onto the green with a soft landing and it rolls into the cup for a birdie.

The home crowd loved that.

The driver is Bryson DeChambeau's greatest weapon and he's blasted his opening tee shot straight down the first fairway to loud cheers from the massed spectators.

Viktor Hovland, looking measured in a turquoise polo and white trousers, has just done the same.

Perfect starts for this pair.

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Golf stats expert Justin Ray on X has just dropped this nugget:

"Xander Schauffele led the field in both fairways hit and greens in regulation through three rounds. Over the past 30 years, eight players have led a major in both of those statistics for the week. Incredibly, none of them went on to win."

That's an ominous stat for the guy who has led this entire week.

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It's easy to forget Viktor Hovland was probably the best player in the world during the autumn.

He changed his coach over winter and disappeared down leaderboards. No one was talking about him this week.

Now back with his previous coach, he looks in fine touch.

After finishing runner-up last year, he's perfectly placed to win.

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Bryson DeChambeau said yesterday he's recently realised that golf is about keeping the fans enterained - he's certainly doing that this week.

Two chipped eagles so far, accompanied with memorable celebrations, and he is very much a contender.

The crowds seem to be on his side and he's feeding off it.

LIV golf won this tournament last year through Brooks Koepka - DeChambeau offers the best chance of repeating the feat.

Another hole and another birdie putt goes sliding by for Rory McIlroy on the sixth.

If he was further up the leaderboard McIlroy would be quite content with a few pars.

But as it is, the 2014 champion is not picking up the shots he needs early on to give himself the slim chance of repeating his win at this very course 10 years ago.

A nice moment as Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre share a fist bump on the first tee.

The Englishman then proceeds to sling his ball down the first but his drive is right into the rough. MacIntyre fades his from right to left and finds the heart of the fairway. A decent nerve settler.

Scottie Scheffler may not have been able to take the birdie chance on the seventh but he surely has to take the one he has given himself on the eighth...

A superb tee shot from the world number one on the par three lands him within two feet of the hole.

He makes no mistake and gets himself into the red for the first time today.

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Justin Rose was in top form on Saturday posting a superb round of 64, which was only really overshadowed because he was playing alongside Shane Lowry.

But that European Ryder Cup dynamic clearly paid dividends with both the Englishman and the Irishman saying that they effectively spurred each other on.

Will Rose be able to reprise that today with another of Europe's team from the Marco Simone in Rome?

Robert MacIntyre is looking to become Scotland’s first major winner since Paul Lawrie, 25 years ago, while it has been 11 years since Rose won the US Open at Merion.

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Here comes Keegan Bradley....A second birdie of the day moves the former US PGA champion to 11 under after four holes and within four of the lead.

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We've all felt the weight of history as we try to close out a golf round, whether it's a five-footer to beat our mates, or a putt to bring our handicap down.

Xander Schauffele has not won on the PGA Tour since 2022, despite leading on the final day a number of times, including last week at Quail Hollow.

So, how can he hold his nerve this time?

What advice have you got for these pros as they try to close out this tournament?

Let us know on #bbcgolf

From rough to rough.

Scottie Scheffler spending a bit of time in the thick stuff on the par five seventh.

With the strength he can get behind the ball it doesn't leave him in too much trouble. His third shot takes him to around 13 feet from the hole and still a chance of a birdie.

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This could be a group to watch you know, with two-time champion Justin Thomas having a huge home following with him, if he gets going he could get carried along on a wave of emotion here.

And also, Tony Finau is not scared of going low, as they both tee off at the first.

Rory didn't have to worry about getting the ball out the rough on the fourth. In fact, he got a little too much power on it as it speeds across the green and off the side into the thicker stuff.

He does well though to recover. His third takes him to around three feet to save par and he makes no mistake with the putter.