Four-way tie at top of US Open leaderboard as Australian has his Day

Jason Day moved to joint-top on the US Open despite suffering from vertigo ©Getty Images

Australian Jason Day carded a two-under 68 to move to joint-top on the US Open leaderboard at Chambers Bay despite admitting to feeling “groggy” due to drugs he is taking to combat vertigo.

The 27-year-old shares the lead with American duo Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth as well as Branden Grace of South Africa, who are all three shots in front of nearest challenger Louis Oosthuizen on four-under-par ahead of tomorrow’s fourth and final round.

Day collapsed with a bout of vertigo on Friday and despite clearly suffering throughout, he managed to shoot five birdies on the back nine on his way to surging to a clubhouse lead.

“I felt pretty groggy on the front nine from all the drugs,” the two-time US Open runner-up said.

“I flushed that out on the back nine.

“The vertigo came back on the 13th tee and I felt it come back again on the 16th tee.

“My goal was just to get through and see how it goes.”

South African Louis Oosthuizen produced the best performance of the day with a 66 to move to one-under-par ©Getty Images

The third round itself was packed full of incident as Day, Spieth, Johnson and Grace all led at one point during the day but none of them could quite open up a commanding advantage.

Spieth, who came into the tournament off the back of a superb victory at the Masters in Augusta in April, started in ominous fashion for the rest of the field by taking an early three shot lead but four bogeys in his next six holes limited his progression.

The 21-year-old was one of two overnight leaders along with compatriot Patrick Reed, who endured a disastrous six-over-par 76, which included three double bogeys and he now finds himself languishing on one-over.

South African Oosthuizen produced the performance of the day, shooting a four-under-par 66 on his way to setting a new US Open record of 132 shots for the middle two rounds.

Elsewhere, world number one Rory McIlroy has a mountain to climb if he is to claim a fifth major crown as he remains some way off the pace as he is eight shots behind the current leaders.

“I need something spectacular on Sunday,” the Northern Irishman said.

“If I can play as well tee to green again and have one of my best ever putting rounds I have a chance.”