US Open 2015: 'Groggy' Jason Day plays the round of his life to share the lead

The Australian had collapsed with vertigo just one day before

Jason Day of Australia waves as he walks off the 18th green alongside Kevin Kisner (GETTY IMAGES)

Jason Day is one more heroic effort from a first major title. The player who collapsed on his last hole on Friday with an attack of vertigo played the round of his life to start the final day of the US Open in a four-way tie for the lead.

There was some doubt whether Day would be fit enough to contest the third round at Chambers Bay, and when he started, two bogeys in his opening four holes raised further questions about his ability to go the distance.

He did better than that, despite complaining of sickness and nausea, rousing himself on the back nine to fashion a remarkable recovery, including birdies at his last two holes for a 68 to set the pace at four under par.

“I didn't feel that great coming out early, and then felt pretty groggy on the front nine just from the drugs that I had in my system. Then I kind of flushed that out on the back nine. But then the vertigo came back a little bit on the 13th tee box, and then felt nauseous all day.

“I started shaking on the 16 tee box and then just tried to get it in, really. Last year I didn't play the round after I had vertigo and this one was worse. The goal was just to go through today and see how it goes.”

Jason Day hits his tee shot on the 14th hole (GETTY IMAGES)

Day is out in the final group with Dustin Johnson, who kept the mistakes to a minimum on a difficult afternoon to close with a level par 70. Jordan Spieth, who began the third round with a share of the lead on five under par, holed two monster birdies at the second and third holes for a three-stroke advantage on seven under.

Thereafter it was a grind like no other on a course that made the late starters scream. Spieth was grateful to sign for a 71 and goes out in the penultimate group today with South African Branden Grace.

“You're just going to have to take your medicine. I tried to force it a couple of times, that's just what this course does,” Spieth said. “If you don't position it well off the tee, you've really got to work hard for a par. I'm going to need to drive the ball a little better to win. That was a grind on the back nine.”

His playing partner yesterday, Patrick Reed, ran up a 76 to fall back to one over par. “Anytime you hit the ball as poorly as I did and putt as poorly as I did, it's going to be a rough day, especially at a US Open,” Reed said.

“I need to learn how to put four rounds together. I haven't done it in forever. I need to figure it out. It's unacceptable the way I played. I had more doubles than birdies today. It's just ridiculous. To have a 4-putt, I could have done that left-handed. So it was horrendous. And the golf course beat me.”

It barely laid a glove on the indefatigable Louis Oosthuizen, who recorded a second consecutive 66 to close in a tie for fifth on one under par. And this after opening with a 77 in the group of death that claimed Tiger Woods and Rickie Fowler.