Shane Lowry finished his third round on Sunday with a four-stroke lead in the U.S. Open here on Sunday.
The burly Irishman had two birdies in the four third-round holes he had left to play after darkness intervened late Saturday for a 65, leaving him at seven-under par.
That was four clear of Americans Dustin Johnson and Andrew Landry, with veteran Englishman Lee Westwood and American Daniel Summerhays a further shot back. Only six players were under par and none of those had won a Major.
Lowry came back out to finish his third round in the early morning and he started with a birdie at the 15th to a bogey for closest challenger Landry, stretching the lead to four shots.
World No. 6 Johnson moved to within three with a birdie of his own at the 15th, but Lowry rolled in a putt from 10 feet at the short par-four 17th to restore a four-stroke margin over the field.
The big shock early on was that four-time major winner Rory McIlroy failed to make the cut for the first time at a major in three years.
The 2011 US Open champion went out in 31 and looked poised for a charge, but he inexplicably fell apart on his back nine, a 40 giving him a 71 and at eight-over he was on his way home.
