Oosthuizen Birdies His Way Into the Lead at Deutsche Bank

South Aftican golfer Louis Oosthuizen made seven straight birdies Sunday to help build a three-shot lead. (Michael Dwyer)

Most people expected PGA Champion Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to set the pace Sunday at TPC Boston. However, as the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship got under way, it was clear that someone else was set to emerge as the pacesetter. That someone turned out to be South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen found his groove and didn't look back. On the front nine, he made seven birdies for a tournament record 29. From holes four through ten, Oosthuizen made seven consecutive birdies. He didn't even miss a green until the 17th hole. The same hole where Oosthuizen had his only bogey of the round, but he made amends for it on the 18th with yet another birdie.

Oosthuizen finished his round Sunday with an 8-under 63. Through three rounds, he has shot a tournament-record 19-under 194. Oosthuizen leads McIlroy by three shots and Woods and Dustin Johnson by six shots each. He is right where he wants to be going into the final round on Labor Day.

There's no guarantee that Oosthuizen will just stroll away with this win Monday. However, he has dominated like this before. After all, Oosthizen is the same golfer who won the 2010 Open Championship by seven shots. Though he is also the same golfer who dramatically lost the Masters last April in a playoff to Bubba Watson.

The question becomes which Oosthuizen will we see Monday as he tries to hold his lead in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. He will have the added pressure of having Johnson and Woods directly ahead of him and being placed in the final pairing with McIlroy. Oosthuizen has told reporters that he is ready to prove that the Open Championship win wasn't a fluke. That he can win another major. Well this appears to be just the opportunity he was looking for.

Oosthuizen has the three-shot lead in a significant tour tournament. If he is going to win this thing, he is going to have directly beat a pair of former major champions. As they say, to be the best, you have to beat the best. Oosthuizen isn't the best golfer in the world right now, but if he wants to be in that conversation, this is the type of tournament he must win. All eyes on Labor Day will be directly on Oosthuizen to see what he does.

Furyk, Toms, and Woods Tied for 2012 U.S. Open Lead

Tiger Woods acknowledges the crowd during Day 2 of the 2012 U.S. Open (Ben Margot)

No one said winning the U.S. Open would be easy. Olympic Club in San Francisco has been giving the PGA's top golfers all they can handle and than some. Round 2 saw the world's #1 Luke Donald and #2 Rory McIlroy miss the cut. So did Masters champion Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson, who was coming off a PGA Tour win last week.

You might me be wondering well who is in the lead. There are three wily, old veterans tied for the lead and who are looking to prove they've still got what it takes to win a major.

After winning the U.S. Open in 2003, Jim Furyk is looking to become the tournament's first multiple winner since Tiger Woods won his third in 2008. Furyk finished Friday's second round early with his 1-under 69. He gained the lead when first round leader Michael Thompson lost his stroke.

2001 PGA champion David Toms is also striving for another major win. Toms remained steady as can be during a straightforward even-par 70 for Friday's second round. His two bogeys on the front nine where remedied for by two birdies on the back nine.

Then, there is Tiger Woods, who is seeking to win his 15th major and to return to the level of greatness he achieved earlier in his career. During Friday's second round, Woods overcame three straight bogeys on the front nine for an even-par 70.

With Furyk, Toms, and Woods tied for the tournament lead at 1-under 139, the rest of the field sits over par. Of course, all of the attention will be on Woods. He is a media magnet and will likely have the support of the crowd on his side. Furyk and Toms have shown calm, veteran demeanors. They have positioned themselves well for making a run to win it all. Another player I would keep an eye on is Graeme McDowell, who remains just two shots off the lead. Two years ago, McDowell won a similarly difficult U.S. Open. I guess you could say he knows how to win ugly in a sense. It will be interesting to keep an eye on these golfers as we watch to see who will win the 2012 U.S. Open.