SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on the US Open (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

The USGA pledged to ease off the severe conditions at Shinnecock Hills. Rickie Fowler responded with the low round of the U.S. Open.

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Fowler tapped in for birdie on the 18th hole for a 5-under 65. If nothing else, he wins most improved. Fowler was 19 shots better than his 84 in the third round, the highest score in his U.S. Open career.

Fowler played with Phil Mickelson, who shot a 69 in his 27th U.S. Open without winning. That included a par on the 13th hole, where on Saturday he swatted a moving ball to keep it from rolling off the front of the green. Mickelson was given a two-shot penalty and made a 10 on the hole. This time he raised his arms in mock triumph.

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11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Open won’t be so tough on Sunday with the trophy at stake.

After the third-round conditions prompted complaints from some of the world’s best players, Open officials promised to make things e..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on the US Open (all times local):

9:30 a.m.

Happy Father’s Day, Vic Parziale.

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Now get to work.

The retired Brockton, Massachusetts firefighter will be spending the day at the U.S. Open, carrying the bag for his son, Matt, in the final round. Matt Parziale earned a spot in the tournament by winning the Mid-Amateur, and then became the first mid-am to make the cut in 15 years.

The Parziales say they don’t usually make a big deal about Father’s Day.

This one is different.

”It’s special,” Vic Parziale said. ”It’s the best one ever.”

Both Parziales were firefighters as their real jobs. Matt is on leave from work to play in the Open and a couple of other tournaments. Vic is retired, but quickly found work as his son’s caddie.

He thinks he’s got a future.

”I keep my mouth shut and carry the bag. If he asks me a question, I answer it. I haven’t gotten fired yet,” he said after the third round. ”Can’t find anybody cheaper…

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The water hoses were out early Sunday for the final round of the U.S. Open in its attempt to slightly soften Shinnecock Hills.

USGA officials have conceded that wind and dry conditions made the third round tougher than it needed to be. Tony Finau and Daniel Berger started the weekend 11 shots out of the lead. They go into the final day tied for the lead with Dustin Johnson and defending champion Brooks Koepka.

That set the stage for a final round in which 15 players were separated by four shots.

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Koepka has a chance to become the first back-to-back winner of the U.S. Open since Curtis Strange in 1989.

Among those playing early was Phil Mickelson, who purposely struck a moving ball on the 13th green Saturday.

For one Golf Digest writer, Father's Day has a unique meaning when it's celebrated at Shinnecock Hills

Phil Mickelson's choice to hit a moving golf ball during the U.S. Open will ultimately harm his reputation even if it didn't get him DQ'd from the championship

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) What people were saying Saturday at the U.S. Open:

”I’ve wanted to do that many times. I should have done it several times at Augusta on 15.” – Phil Mickelson after he intentionally swatted a moving putt on the 13th green, invoking a 2-stroke penalty that gave him a 10 on the hole.

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”It’s something you might see at your club with your mates. It was strange, no one ever has those thoughts, it just happens.” – Mickelson’s playing partner, Andrew Johnston, about Mickelson’s actions on No. 13.

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”We must slow the course down tonight, and we will.” – USGA chief executive Mike Davis on how the course will be handled overnight to set it up for the final round Sunday. The USGA admitted that Shinnecock Hills wasn’t a fair test for portions of the third round.

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”I’m going to find Mike Davis. It’s the U.S. Open, it’s supposed to be hard. When is enough enough? It’s not about hard. There’s no other tournament where you see the guys putt ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Phil Mickelson intentionally hit a moving putt on the 13th green Saturday, then asked the USGA to explain the ruling after hearing suggestions he should be disqualified from the U.S. Open.

His bogey putt from above the hole ran by the cup and was headed down a slope when he trotted over and swatted it back toward the hole with the ball still in motion. He was assessed a two-stroke penalty, scored a 10 on the hole – the highest number anyone has managed in this tournament – and wound up shooting 81.

Later, after acknowledging he was using Rule 14-5 to his advantage, Mickelson called USGA officials.

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”Phil really did want to understand how the rule operates because he didn’t want to – frankly, as he said to me: `I don’t want to play in this championship if I should have been disqualified,”’ said Mike Davis, the USGA’s chief executive.

”That’s where we clarified that, `Phil, you actually made a stroke at a moving ball, and so we have ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Daniel Berger managed to hit a sweet spot that was even smaller than the target area on one of Shinnecock Hills’ glassy greens: He played well enough to make the cut at the U.S. Open, but not so well that he teed off among the leaders after the course turned treacherous late in the day.

Just one stroke ahead of the cut line after 36 holes, Berger parlayed an early tee time into a 4-under 66 on Saturday to improve to 3 over for the tournament – still seven strokes behind second-round leader Dustin Johnson as he began his round.

Tony Finau teed off 44 minutes later, at 10:57 a.m., and also shot 66 to finish at 3 over.

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Then they waited for more than four hours while the course brought the rest of the field back to them.

”I think to get out there early and play a good round really was to my benefit,” said Berger, who was in a four-way tie with Finau, Brooks Koepka (72) and Johnson (77). ”If someone shoots 4 under this afternoon, it’s ..

Golf Channel trio takes USGA to task for U.S. Open course setup: 'Sadly, we took a step back'

A glance at the third round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.

Leading: Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau and Daniel Berger, all 3-over-par 213.

Just behind: Justin Rose is one stroke back, while Henrik Stenson is another shot behind.

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Big number: Phil Mickelson took a 10 on the 13th hole on his way to an 81.

Big controversy: Mickelson ran and intentionally hit his ball back to the hole while it was still moving on 13, getting a 2-stroke penalty.

Notable: It was the highest 54-hole score to lead in a U.S. Open since 1974.

Key stat: The scoring average was 75.33, the highest for a third round since Pebble Beach in 2000. There were three rounds under par, and eight over 80.

Quotable: ”I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s something you might see at your home course with your mates or something. But it was just a moment – I think it’s just a moment of madness.” – playing partner Andrew Johnston, on Mickelson hitting h..