US Open 2013: English trio of Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter stand tall in Merion mayhem Horschel has been one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour this season and his challenge should not - and after this will not - be underestimated, particularly as the 26-year-old expressed dissatisfaction at his remarkable display. "Four birdies at the US Open, I'll take it," said Horschel, who three-putted the 13th. But I wish I had a couple more. Tiger Woods hung in there with a 70 and on three-over is, as he says, "right there." The world No 1 did have to suffer the embarrassment of fluffing a chip two feet but the US Open, and, in particular its rough, does not care one jot for reputations. Woods revealed that he hurt his arm at last month's Players Championship - which he won - and while he claims it isn't affecting him, Woods is not operating anywhere near his best. When McIlroy finished his round there were two men out of 156 under par - and Phil Mickelson and Nicholas Colsaerts had yet to begin their third round. It meant that on level par, Donald briefly held the clubhouse lead in a major for the first time since the USPGA at Medinah. It has been quite a wait for the 35-year-old, who has never even finished in the top 10 of the US Open. In the 23 holes he played yesterday he posted four birdies, eighth bogeys and 11 pars. With the ground drying it could pose an even more brutal test this weekend. The pin positions were difficult and even the short ones were difficult to read. This is a tough course. The rough verges on the sadistic as Ernie Els pointed out. "It's good for cows, but bad for golfers," said the South African after a 72 put him on three-over. Donald could just be that man, if he can keep his driver honest and his short game reaches its zenith. He resumed on the 14th on four-under and it was no disaster that he played that final five in two-over. Donald played beautifully in that period, hitting each of the greens in regulation. There were three-putts on the 16th and the 18th and then two in succession on the fifth and sixth (his 13th and 14th) in the afternoon In 2011, Donald went 484 holes without a three-putt. His putting has not been at its best in 2013, but, still, Donald's troubles provided proof of the trickiness of these greens and the harshness of those pin positions The birdie took him back to level and all there was to do then was par the 10th and retire to his hotel to watch Horschel supplant him and Poulter and Donald join his crusade. There was barely any light while Rose made a great par save on the 18th, giving the loyal fans who stayed their second reason to cheer in 10 minutes. Mickelson holed a 20-footer for his only birdie of the day in a 72 which could at least have been three better if his putter had obliged. It was the dramatic conclusion this day deserved.