SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler raised a club in his left hand and fist-pumped with his right while the crowd roared so loudly the cheers reverberated around Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.Chipping in from 65 feet on the 14th hole began a stretch of three consecutive birdies Saturday for Scheffler, who went into the third round outside the top 10 at the U.S. Open. Slightly more subdued fist pumps followed, as did a bogey after landing his tee shot in the bunker on No. 17.By the time his eventful back nine was over, Scheffler shot a 69 tie for second place at 1 under for the tournament. He was six strokes behind leader Wyndham Clark going into Sunday.“We’ve been battling hard for a few days, and I did a good job of keeping myself in the tournament,” Scheffler said. “It was nice to steal a couple there on the back nine when I really needed them as the tournament was kind of slipping away from me.”Only Arnold Palmer in 1960 and Johnny Miller in 1973 have won the U.S. Open when trailing by six or more strokes going into the final round. The opportunity to pull off the third such comeback after 54 holes just happens to land on Scheffler’s 30th birthday and Father’s Day, not long after he and wife Meredith Scudder welcomed their second child in April.“We want to be in these positions,” Scheffler said. “This is why we practice and play: to have the opportunity to win golf tournaments, and that’s what (this) is. I have an opportunity to go out there and h …
