That sounded clunky but Rory McIlroy's ball tracks right of the hole and holds just inside five feet away from the cup. He holes it. That's back-to-back escapes for the world number three. Can he cash in on them now?

Patrick Cantlay has a slow birdie putt up the slope from the front of the green but it lacks a little bit of juice and pulls up 18 inches short.

That's a massive, truly massive miss from Bryson DeChambeau off the eighth tee as his ball shoots right and keep going right, sailing off into the trees.

This could be big trouble.

Patrick Cantlay has had a couple of bits of good fortune off the tee today and sees his ball catch the sandy stuff before scooting off a bump back onto the eighth fairway.

He'll take that all day long and follows up with a conservative iron into the front of the green.

Rory McIlroy hits a towering iron shot in towards the putting surface but that's not going to hold and wanders off the edge to leave him scrambling for par.

Image source, Getty Images

The birdie try from Bryson DeChambeau is no good, with his effort just sliding by the right edge as he failed to allow enough break in it. But the par will do.

This post is hoping some of you have been with us all week - kudos for your loyalty.

Remember Thomas Detry who briefly led the whole tournament on Friday at six under par before melting into the shadows yesterday?

He's putting together an excellent round. Currently two under par for the day and back into the top 10.

Bryson DeChambeau goes for a spot of flag hunting on seven after a 341-yard drive across the corner leaves him just 84 yards in.

His approach is right over the flag and pulls up about 12 feet away.

Has Rory McIlroy had too much spinach? His distance control is all off as he flies through the seventh green. It's an awful shot frankly but he makes amends with a well-judged chip to five feet before rolling in for par.

In contrast Patrick Cantlay zips his approach to three feet and draws level with his playing partner on four under in a tie for second.

Image source, EPA

Right then, a third of the way through and Bryson DeChambeau has allowed the field one shot back on him.

Before we got under way, more of you said someone else would win it than the burly American.

Where are you now with your predictions?

Thumbs up for BDC, thumbs down for an alternative.

They both miss the sixth green but both make par as Bryson DeChambeau uses the wedge and his excellent chipping skills and Matthieu Pavon putts it up the slope onto the green before making his three.

Tyrrell Hatton started this round eyeing a top-five finish and possibly contending. He is currently in a tie for 23rd and six over through eight holes today. Pinehurst has done him.

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Bryson DeChambeau has made 15 birdies this week. The most birdies or eagles made by one player over an entire US Open at Pinehurst is 17, by Martin Kaymer in 2014.

Michael Campell is next on the list, with 16 in 2005. The only other player with as many as 15 was Danny Willett in 2014.

Bryson DeChambeau settles for his par, which is good enough right now and could actually be enough to get the job done today given how tough the course is.

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay both attack the pin on the par-three sixth.

Both end up with pars. McIlroy goes close from 14 feet and tidies up, with Cantlay unable to hole out from seven feet or so.

Last time we caught up with Aaron Rai, he was moving to level par with a fine birdie at seven.

Since then, he's bogeyed the eighth but has just rescued par at the ninth with a delightful sand shot.

He makes the turn at one over.

Ludvig Aberg has a comically tough shot on the seventh with his ball right on the edge of a bunker but he has to stand in it to play this right handed, as he's ruled out laying a left-handed bunt.

So he stands in the sand, with the ball almost waist height and holds the very bottom of his putter more ice hockey style - or as my four-year-old does at crazy golf...

He just knocks it further up the green and moves on.

Bryson DeChambeau muscles his ball out of that clump of grass on five, but finds a bunker from where he can only just find the green and leave a long putt and only outside chance of birdie, more two-putt par territory.

Speaking of excellent finishes, how about that from Shane Lowry.

He crowns his 18th hole by sinking a 26-foot birdie putt.

Four over for his tournament but a round under par to end.

That's a fine close from Tommy Fleetwood as he taps home a par putt on the 18th.

A two-under par round is no mean feat at Pinehurst today and it's wrenched him into the top 20.

Two 70s and a 68 on his scorecard for the week. It was just that snaggy 75 on Friday that cost him a place in contention.

Ludvig Aberg is back under par for the tournament after a birdie on the fifth followed on from his 363-yard monster drive.

The Swede then has 20 feet for another birdie on six but just can't convert this time, but it's an impressive response to the hammer blow of that triple bogey earlier.

Zane Scotland
Former European Tour player on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It's disappointing for any professional golfer to drop a shot on a par five, especially for Rory McIlroy. He had an iron in his hand and he wanted to get it close, when the sensible shot was to go long and right.