Oakmont: Jeev Milkha Singh rode a solid back nine to card a three-over 73 and jump to tied 35th after the third round of the 107th US Open on Saturday.

With Oakmont’s punishing greens relenting a bit, the Indian was, in fact, within half a roll of a final-hole par that would have seen him another move five places up on the leaderboard.

Australian Aaron Baddeley (70) is in the lead at two-over, followed by Tiger Woods (69).

Jeev’s three-day total at the Oakmont Golf and Country Club stands at 13-over 223. He is ahead of the likes of defending champion Geoff Ogilvy (40th at 14-over), Masters champion Zach Johnson (50th at 16-over) and major winners Michael Campbell (45th at 13-over) and Jose Maria Olazabal (50th at 16 over).

Jeev was joined at 35th place by Ernie Els (74) and Fred Funk (74). The Indian is paired with John Rollins (74) in the final round.

Jeev bogeyed the third, fifth, seventh, eighth, 16th and 18th holes but had birdies on the 10th, 12th and 17th holes on the back nine. He did not have a great start to his third round on the cruel Oakmont golf course and the Indian dropped four bogeys on his front nine.