Tributes have been paid to two-time Oscar-winning actor and former UK politician Glenda Jackson, who died peacefully after a short illness at the age of 87.

“She recently completed filming ‘The Great Escaper’ in which she co-starred with Michael Caine.”

Larner also added a personal comment about his relationship with Jackson: “Today we lost one of the world’s greatest actresses and I have lost a best friend of over 50 years,” he said.

Hollywood actor Michael Caine, the last of Jackson’s co-stars, said after her death that she was “one of our greatest movie actresses,” adding: “It was a privilege to work with her on The Great Escaper recently, our second film together.

“It was as wonderful an experience this time as it was 50 years ago. I shall miss her,” he continued.

Born in the northwestern town of Birkenhead in England in 1936, Jackson joined an amateur theater group as a teenager before winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

After graduating she starred on London’s West End and made her Broadway debut in 1965 in a production of “Marat/Sade.”

The screen followed. She won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her role opposite Oliver Reed in the 1969 period drama “Women in Love.”

Her second came soon after for the 1973 romantic comedy “A Touch of Class” – two years after her notable depictions of Queen Elizabeth I in both the BBC’s biographic film “Elizabeth R” and the historical drama “Mary, Queen of Scots.”

Fearless politician

In 1992 she turned to politics, becoming a Labour MP while the party was in opposition. She was an MP for 23 years, during which her party came to power in a landslide under Tony Blair.

In that time, Jackson was appointed a junior transport minister in 1997 and held the post for two years. She made a bid to become mayor of London in 2000, but lost out to independent candidate Ken Livingstone.

She never achieved high-ranking roles in politics but became known for her fearlessness.

Jackson fell out with Blair as he took Britain to war in Iraq, and was a bitter opponent of former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, memorably criticizing her on the day of her funeral in 2013.

“The first prime minister of female gender, ok. But a woman? Not on my terms,” she said.

Blair said in a statement shared on Twitter on Thursday that the “truly formidable” actor and MP “will be much missed.”

He expressed his “great sadness” and gave his “sincere condolences” to “all who knew and loved her,” adding: “Glenda brought the same great passion to her political life as she did in her long and glorious acting career.”

The film star returned to the stage in 2016 by starring in a West End production of “King Lear.” Jackson received further accolades when she won a Tony Award in 2018 for her appearance in the Broadway production of “Three Tall Women.”

Her latest on-screen project, “The Great Escaper,” is in post-production, according to IMDb.

‘Talented’ and ‘formidable’

Actor Michael Warburton, who most recently appeared in the Netflix thriller “The Strays,” said in a tweet, “She really was a hugely talented, intelligent & charismatic Actress.”

British former professional boxer Frank Bruno on Twitter shared a fond memory he had of the actor, writing: “RIP Glenda Jackson I remember when I was introduced to her she said “I understand you fight people for a living” I said Your a distinguished actress “Boxing is just show business with blood” She was a nice lady.”

Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for the UK constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn, tweeted: “Devastated to hear that my predecessor Glenda Jackson has died. A formidable politician, an amazing actress and a very supportive mentor to me. Hampstead and Kilburn will miss you Glenda.”

Staging the US Open for the first time in its 128-year history, the ultra-exclusive Los Angeles Country Club has become the center of the golfing world this week.

Yet not everyone has given the host glowing reviews, including the major’s reigning champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

The size of crowds and the difficulty of the course have become two hotly-debated topics across the first three days of the tournament, with England’s Fitzpatrick having his say.

After shooting the tournament’s third hole-in-one on Friday, the world No. 8 said he wished more people had seen it, adding that he was “surprised” at what he felt was a lack of numbers – and noise – behind the ropes.

And following Saturday’s third round, Fitzpatrick – whose hopes of becoming the first player to defend the US Open title since Brooks Koepka look slim – again spoke about the quality of the course and the atmosphere.

“I’d almost argue that some of the fairways, with it getting firmer, are arguably impossible to hit,” he told Sky Sports.

Last month’s PGA Championship winner Koepka said on Friday he was not a “huge fan” of the course and Fitzpatrick said he agreed with what the American said, for example, about blind tee shots.

“I’m not a huge fan of blind tee shots, and then I think there’s just some spots that no matter what you hit, the ball just ends up in the same spot,” Koepka said.

Fitzpatrick added: “I’ve seen Brooks’ comments and I tend to agree with what he feels like that about this golf course. There’s multiple times I’ve hit great drives this week and you’re in the rough by a foot and you’ve got no shot.

“I just don’t think that’s the sign of a great golf course.”

Koepka was even-par following Saturday’s third round, effectively ending any hopes of securing a second consecutive major title.

Fitzpatrick enters the final round just one stroke ahead of the American.

The North Course has split opinion throughout the week and not all have shared in the reigning champion’s assessment. Irish golfer Padraig Harrington, level with Fitzpatrick at one-under par overall, praised the course’s “excellent setup.”

“We were going out there today wondering would there be a bit of bite in it, would there be a bit of fight back,” Harrington told reporters.

“These are probably the best greens we’ve ever putted on in a major. I’m telling you, these are just a pure bent surface which is beautiful to putt on. If you produce good greens, you’re going to get good scoring.”

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, who is still in contention at nine under overall, said he liked the course “a lot.”

Scheffler said, per ESPN: “I think it’s a very interesting place to play golf. I think some of the setup stuff has been also a little bit interesting. It can be frustrating at times with how firm the greens are and how much softer the fairways are.”

Thursday’s opening round heralded a day of unprecedented low scoring, headlined by American duo Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both shooting an eight-under 62 to break the major’s all-time low round scoring record within 22 minutes of each other.

A first round scoring average of 71.38 marked the lowest ever recorded in a first round at a US Open, beating the previous low of 72.29 at the 1993 tournament and sparking a debate around what a ‘typical’ score should be at a tournament famed for its difficulty.

As predicted by several players, an upturn in sunshine from Friday afternoon led to a downturn in scoring averages. Yet firmer greens and fairways brought fresh criticisms of the course, and atmosphere, from Fitzpatrick on Saturday.

In terms of the size of the crowds in LA, the United States Golf Association (USGA), the sport’s governing body in the US, limited ticket sales to the tournament, citing “capacity limitations” at the course when tickets first became available for purchase in November 2022.

“Very poor … It’s disappointing on the USGA side,” said Fitzpatrick of the atmosphere, according to Barstool Sports journalist Dan Rapaport.

Yet not all competitors were as scathing as the defending champion. While Los Angeles-born Collin Morikawa praised the tournament’s “amazing” energy, South Korean golfer Tom Kim used the same adjective to describe the venue.

“Man, I would have loved to see this place packed,” Kim told reporters Saturday.

“I think once you get into some holes there’s a lot of people. I think it’s pretty cool … it’s LA and it’s the US Open, can’t get any better.”

The Brazilian men’s national team wore an all-black kit for the first time in its 109-year history during a friendly match against Guinea in Spain on Saturday as part of the team’s anti-racism campaign.

Players from both teams either took a knee or sat down on the Espanyol stadium’s pitch and observed a minute’s silence prior to the match in Barcelona.

Brazil played the first 45 minutes of the game wearing black shirts, shorts and socks before reverting to its traditional yellow jersey after the break. The slogan of the campaign, “Com Racismo nao tem jogo,” meaning, “With racism, there is no game” was displayed on the front of the shirts.

The slogan is part of the Brazilian Federation’s campaign, with the support of FIFA, the sport’s world governing body, to end racism in soccer and society, according to a statement from the Federation released on Saturday.

One of the country’s best players, the Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr., was subjected to persistent racist abuse during Real’s 1-0 defeat to Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in May, making it the 10th incident involving the Brazilian forward that Spain’s LaLiga reported to prosecutors during the 2022-2023 season.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Brazilian delegation Thursday, announcing his full support for the anti-racism campaign.

As for the match, Brazil won 4-1 with goals scored by Joelinton, Rodrygo, Eder Militão and Vinícius. Guirassy scored the only goal for Guinea.

Vinícius donned the emblematic No. 10 jersey, the number once worn by the great Pele, the first time, according to the Brazilian Federation.

Vinícius was invited by Infantino to participate in a FIFA anti-racism committee with players who will help suggest a course of action to deal with discriminatory behavior in football, the FIFA president said on Thursday.

Brazil is set to play its next friendly match on Tuesday against Senegal in Lisbon, Portugal.

Andy Murray is enjoying something of a renaissance. The former world No.1 won his second consecutive tournament on Sunday to increase hopes of successful run at Wimbledon next month.

The Scot secured a 6-4 6-4 win over France’s Arthur Cazaux at the final of the Nottingham Open, a Challenger event, to add to the Surbiton Trophy he won last week.

But perhaps the best part of his day came after victory on the Nottingham grass.

During an on-court interview after the match, the 36-year-old said he hoped to see his children on Father’s Day, to which cries of “we’re here” could be heard.

“I didn’t know they were here,” the father-of-four said. “I had no idea they were coming.

“They came last week for the final at Surbiton and they turned up and it started raining. So then they had to go home for the kids’ bedtime so they missed the end of the match.

“It’s great that they managed to come today.”

Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, missed this month’s French Open to focus his preparations for Wimbledon. He will next play the Queen’s Club Championships in London, which starts on Monday.

The three-time grand slam champion is expected to rise to No. 38 in the ATP rankings following his win in Nottingham – he is currently 44th in the world. It would be his highest ranking since coming back from hip surgery in 2019.

About 40 million people across the southern US are at risk for severe weather Sunday as storms move into the Lower Mississippi Valley and the central Gulf Coast states, bringing the risk of large hail and damaging winds.

There is an enhanced risk of severe weather, considered Level 3 of 5, for an area across the lower Mississippi River Valley, including Arkansas, northern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

The storms will be “fast-moving, including the potential for both supercells and linear/bowing structures,” which typically produce strong wind events, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

A new round of storms is likely to develop across the region and into the Florida Panhandle Sunday afternoon and evening, where a few isolated tornadoes are possible.

Overnight, there were 220 reports of severe weather, including eight tornadoes, across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and along the Gulf Coast.

As of noon ET, more than 600,000 customers were without power in the South, including about 300,000 in Oklahoma and more than 100,000 in both Texas and Louisiana, according to PowerOutage.us.

The Public Service Company of Oklahoma’s outage map indicated there are about 200,000 customer outages in the region, particularly in and around Tulsa.

“Due to the level of damage and hazards, this will be a multi-day recovery event,” the company said in a Facebook post. “Estimated times of restoration for customers who can accept power will be available Monday morning.”

The City of Tulsa said nearly 250 power poles/lines were down and said 911 received more than 4,500 calls about those lines between midnight and 5 a.m. City officials urged residents to stay off the roads and stay home on Sunday if possible.

The Tulsa Police Department has activated the Incident Management Team and officers were prioritizing storm-related injury and emergency calls, the department posted on Facebook.

“More than 35 City of Tulsa crews are clearing Tulsa’s main streets, with others working to assess storm conditions neighborhood-by-neighborhood. Work will occur during daylight hours throughout the next few days,” the post said.

Near-record heat hits south

The risk of severe weather is just one of a number of weather issues facing the Southeast.

Showers and thunderstorms may also produce flooding from the mid-South to the Gulf Coast, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy rainfall could lead to isolated flash flooding, especially across portions of the Florida Panhandle and northern and central Florida.

Meanwhile, as the South sees hail and heavy rainfall, parts of the Gulf Coast are under excessive heat warnings. A total of 32 million people across central and southern Texas, Louisiana and southern Mississippi are under heat alerts today, which will likely continue for several days.

Temperatures will soar into the triple digits with heat index values in some areas close to 120 degrees. The heat is 10-15 degrees above normal for this time of year, and a handful of records could be either set or tied.

Cities across the south are preparing for hot weather by opening cooling centers, as some are still cleaning up from storms that have left thousands without power.

The City of Houston is opening cooling centers from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. CT on Sunday and Monday as the city braces for high temperatures. Caddo Parish in Louisiana has also opened additional cooling centers as the parish still grapples with power outages and storm cleanup.

“Parish officials will continue to monitor the power restoration with SWEPCO and Homeland Security to determine how long centers will be open,” the parish said in a release.

Storms left several dead in south

The severe weather comes days after storms tore a deadly path across Texas, Florida and Mississippi.

The tornado, packing estimated peak winds of 140 mph, damaged homes and businesses in the town of some 8,000 residents, including the local fire department and EMS, as well as multiple mobile homes, Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said, noting many of the department’s trucks were damaged.

In Mississippi, one person died after severe weather swept through the state overnight, the Mississippi Department of Emergency Management said in a release. Preliminary reports showed more than 70 homes have been damaged.

A person in Florida died after being trapped when a tree fell on their home, Escambia County officials said. The county, which includes Pensacola, was hit with flash flooding emergencies overnight as water inundated roadways entered several structures.

Many of the areas hit with severe conditions Thursday could see storms return.

Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are possible in Montgomery and Mobile in Alabama, Little Rock, Arkansas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Tallahassee, Florida.

A marginal, Level 1 of 5 risk is in place from South Dakota to Florida and for parts of the mid-Atlantic. Cities in the marginal risk area, which could see large hail and damaging winds, include Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Denver and Jacksonville, Florida.

It was the sort of astonishing run the world has come to expect from those who don Argentina’s iconic number 10 soccer jersey.

From the corner of the pitch, the fleet-footed figure evades one challenger and leaves two others trailing hopelessly in his wake as he sprints the length of half the pitch and high-fives his side’s goalkeeper, all to the adoring cheers of the crowd.

But this stunning display of athleticism on show during Argentina’s friendly match with Australia in Beijing on Thursday was not by Lionel Messi – though the man widely thought of as the world’s best player did his own fair share of crowd-pleasing by scoring his fastest ever goal, in just 79 seconds.

It was by a young Chinese pitch invader, eager to meet his hero, the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or.

Videos that have gone viral on Chinese social media show the young fan leaping from the stands before sprinting toward the Argentine striker – who like him was wearing the number 10 jersey – and giving him a hug. The clips show Messi, who appears initially shocked, stretching out his arms and hugging the fan back.

With the crowd cheering three security guards then give chase, the first of them falling over as the young fan evades his grasp. The fan then raises his hands as he outsprints the other two guards and high-fives Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. It is only after the fan eventually trips up himself that security finally catch up to him and take him back to the stands, where he is greeted like a hero.

For many onlookers, the brief interlude was one of the most entertaining moments of an event that has drawn widespread interest across China since the 35-year-old Messi arrived in Beijing on Saturday.

On Chinese social media, many users – football fans or otherwise – celebrated the young fan’s sprint across the grass pitch as a liberating moment.

For some, his daring dash through security lines has become a symbol of freedom and youthful vitality in a society still reeling from the trauma of three years of Covid restrictions and feeling the squeeze of a slowing economy.

“This kind of running is exactly what is lacking in the increasingly desolate souls of the Chinese people,” says the headline of a widely circulated commentary on WeChat, which was later censored.

But even before the fan’s antics, interest in the event had been sky high.

Tickets to the match at the 68,000-capacity Workers’ Stadium, which cost up to $4,800 yuan ($670), sold out within 20 minutes, according to Chinese state media Global Times, while touts advertised tickets online for multiple times their face value.

Messi and his teammates were temporarily “trapped” in their Beijing hotel at the weekend after large numbers of fans gathered outside, Chinese state media reported.

So great has been the interest that local police cautioned members of the public to be on guard for scammers trying to sell fake tickets or bogus chances to meet the superstar.

Several unofficial social media accounts have claimed to be offering VIP stadium passes, front-row seats and autographed jerseys, often at widely inflated prices, while a viral – and bogus – ad claimed to be offering dinner opportunities with Messi at 300,000 yuan ($42,000) per person.

Beijing’s public security bureau debunked the advert on its official Weibo account, joking, “If you can be scammed of 300,000 yuan, then our police will raise a glass to you.”

On the pitch, Argentina eventually triumphed 2-0, though it maybe for other reasons that the game will be most remembered.

In a series of clips posted online after the game the fan apologized to his hero for his “bad behaviour.”

“Messi, I’m sorry… I’m really sorry to meet you this way. I really wanted your autograph, but they were chasing me, so I didn’t ask for it,” he said.

But he was less apologetic to the security guards he left flailing in his wake.

“I also hope to use my negative case to tell the security personnel that your security work is not competent and gave me such an opportunity,” he said, urging the authorities to step up their game before the Chinese capital hosts its next international sports event.

Beijing Police said later that an 18-year-old fan, identified only as “Di” had been put under “administrative detention”, but did not say for how long.

The fan has also been banned from entering sports venues as a spectator for similar games for 12 months. Police said he had offered an apology and accepted his punishment.

Weighing into the debate, a Chinese state media outlet said in an editorial that while the fan’s passion was understandable, it did not endorse his behavior, adding that it would disrupt matches and endanger safety.

Argentina will next travel to Jakarta for a friendly against Indonesia on June 19.

Police in Austria say they foiled an attack on Vienna’s annual Pride parade Saturday after arresting three suspects with alleged links to Islamic extremism.

The three – aged 14, 17 and 20 – are Austrian nationals of Bosnian and Chechen origin, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner from Austria’s State Protection and Intelligence Directorate (DSN) told journalists at a hastily called press conference Sunday.

They had allegedly become radicalized online and developed views sympathetic to ISIS, according to Haijawi-Pirchner.

“In our democratic society, hate and terror have no place,” he said.

State police president Gerhard Pürstl told journalists: “For the LGBTQ community, many Islamic as well as right-wing extremists represent an intense enemy, which is clear from the violent crimes that have been committed during events in the past across the world, as well as in Europe.”

The DSN had advance knowledge of the suspects’ alleged plans and kept them “under constant control.” The trio were arrested ahead of Saturday’s parade by Austria’s Cobra special forces.

“The investigations by the State Protection and Intelligence Directorate found that multiple people were planning an attack on the parade,” a statement released by Austria’s Interior Ministry said.

“The suspects were subsequently tracked down and taken into custody in a coordinated attack,” it said, adding that those attending the event were never in danger.

Authorities carried out searches on properties in Vienna and lower Austria, during which they seized banned weapons.

The annual Rainbow Parade is part of Vienna’s largest LGBTQ event in Austria – Vienna Pride – which runs from June 1 to 18. This year the march was attended by around 300,000 people.

A dozen police officers and several protesters were injured Saturday in clashes at the construction site of an Alpine railway tunnel connecting France and Italy.

Around 2,000 police were mobilized to the site to face more than 3,000 people protesting the 57-kilometer tunnel project that will connect the French city of Lyon with Turin in Italy upon completion, France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said.

An organization called “Uprisings of the Earth” had called for the demonstration.

Authorities in the department of Savoie had issued a ban on demonstrations on public roads near construction site.

“This is a protest that was banned because it was dangerous, because it gathers people who are delinquents and not activists,” Sacha Houlié, president of the legal commission at the French lower house told French TV Franceinfo on Sunday.

“Can we just take a moment to wonder why these radical ecologists are against the train,” Houlié told Franceinfo on Sunday.

The violent clashes, including scenes of police firing tear gas and protestors trying to block off a highway, have reignited debate around the tunnel project, agreed upon by France and Italy back in 2017 and partially sponsored by the EU.

“You can’t equate people demonstrating against a hole used as a basin with someone shooting up the Bataclan,” Mélenchon said.

Several officials from his party, France Unbowed, participated in the protest.

The French government estimates that the new tunnel, together with the high-speed railway, can cut travel time between Lyon and Turin by half and significantly reduce travel time between Paris and Milan too.

Those opposed to the project are concerned about possible environmental damage and say that existing train networks, albeit slower, can handle demand.

Embattled coach Bob Huggins has resigned as the men’s head basketball coach at West Virginia University and announced his retirement Saturday after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Pittsburgh.

“My recent actions do not represent the values of the University or the leadership expected in this role. While I have always tried to represent our University with honor, I have let all of you – and myself – down,” Huggins said in a statement on Saturday.

“I am solely responsible for my conduct and sincerely apologize to the University community – particularly to the student-athletes, coaches and staff in our program. I must do better, and I plan to spend the next few months focused on my health and my family so that I can be the person they deserve.”

Pittsburgh Police said in a statement that just before 8:30 p.m. Friday, officers observed a black SUV with the driver’s door open in the middle of the road, blocking traffic. The vehicle had a “flat and shredded tire,” according to the statement.

Police said they directed the driver, Robert Huggins of Morgantown, West Virginia, to move the vehicle off the road and noticed Huggins was having difficulty maneuvering the SUV. Police said they questioned Huggins and, suspecting he was intoxicated, performed standard field sobriety tests, which Huggins failed.

Huggins was placed in custody without incident and transported for further testing.

The 16-year Mountaineers head coach was later released from custody and will face a preliminary hearing at a later date.

“Coach Huggins informed us of his intent to retire and has submitted his letter of resignation, and we have accepted it in light of recent events. We support his decision so that he can focus on his health and family,” university president E. Gordon Gee and vice president/director of athletics Wren Baker said in a statement.

West Virginia has not named a replacement but said the school will be focused on supporting the student athletes in the men’s program and solidifying the leadership of the program.

Last month, Huggins had his salary reduced by $1 million per year and received a three-game suspension after he used a homophobic slur while appearing on a Cincinnati radio show. Huggins was also instructed to participate in sensitivity training and had his multiyear contract amended to a year-to-year deal.

After his comments, Huggins apologized and admitted there was no excuse for his hurtful language.

“I deeply regret my actions,” Huggins said. “I also regret the embarrassment and disappointment it has caused our Athletics family, members of our campus community and the state of West Virginia.”

At the time, Gee described the long-time Mountaineers coach’s language as “inexcusable” and “offensive.”

In his coaching career, Huggins tallied 935 victories in his 41 seasons as head coach, which ranks as the third-most wins in college basketball history among Division I head coaches.

During his tenure as West Virginia head coach, he led the men’s program to 345 wins while reaching the NCAA Tournament 11 times, including five NCAA Sweet 16’s and the 2010 NCAA Final Four.

Before becoming the head coach of the Mountaineers, Huggins was a head coach at the University of Akron (1984-1989), University of Cincinnati (1989-2005), and Kansas State University (2006-2007).

Huggins was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.

Rickie Fowler led the US Open by two shots heading into the last hole of his third round. When the 34-year-old tees off on Sunday, he will do so tied at the top.

The American winced in pain as his five-foot putt for par agonizingly rolled around the lip of the 18th hole, as compatriot Wyndham Clark promptly birdied to rub salt into the wound and set up a tantalizing final round battle at Los Angeles Country Club.

“Bummer to have that one slip away, but tomorrow is a whole new day,” said Fowler, who holed a stunning 69-foot putt at the 13th hole.

“That’s when the tournament really starts.”

Tied at 10-under overall, Fowler and Clark each sit 18 holes from a dream first major title after shooting even-par 70 and one-under 69 respectively. It marked the highest rounds recorded yet by both players, as more Californian sunshine firmed up fairways and greens, leading to a rise in scores across the field.

Clark continued to dazzle on his first ever US Open weekend, rebounding superbly after back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes threatened to send him sliding.

Having missed the cut at both previous outings at the tournament and with a tied-75th finish at 2021 PGA Championship his best ever major finish, the 29-year-old is in uncharted waters, but remains unfazed.

“I felt like I handled all of it really well,” Clark said.

“Two back-to-back bogeys which were unfortunate but followed it up with birdie, and then birdieing at the end I felt like I handled all the adversity, and I feel like my best round is still out there.”

McIlroy in the hunt

The duo will tee off together at 5:30 p.m. ET tomorrow, but will have to hold off the chase of seasoned winner Rory McIlroy to achieve their major aspirations. Just one stroke behind, the Northern Irishman remains within striking distance of ending a nine-year wait for a fifth career major.

The world No. 3 looked dialed in from the outset, booming a 388-yard effort with his maiden swing of the day to record the longest drive of the day from the first tee.

“Felt like I played really smart, solid golf,” McIlroy said.

“Hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens. Sort of felt somewhat stress free out there, if you can ever call golf at a U.S. Open stress free.”

A blazing finish catapulted Scottie Scheffler into contention, with the world No.1 heading into Sunday three shots behind Clark and Fowler.

Scheffler closed with an eagle and a birdie to card 68 and reignite his hopes of adding to his 2022 Masters title.

“Definitely a huge momentum boost going into tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll just keep it rolling,” he said.

Schauffele loses more ground

McIlroy is the only non-American inside the top six, with Harris English a shot behind Scheffler in fifth, one stroke ahead of Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele, who lost further ground on the lead after a rollercoaster Saturday.

Schauffele, who had set a record-breaking first round pace alongside Fowler, shot three bogeys across his first five holes, and three more in the closing six, to card 73.

Incredibly, the damage could have been even worse, as the seven-time champion scrambled brilliantly to only escape with a bogey at the first hole after taking three swings to escape a bunker.

With reigning champion Matt Fitzpatrick nine shots back from Clark and Fowler, a title defense looks unlikely, as does a second consecutive major for Brooks Koepka. Last month’s major champion trails Fitzpatrick by a stroke at even-par overall.