Tom Kim emerges as a contender after a historic front nine at the U.S. Open

Conditions were expected to get more difficult on Saturday at The Los Angeles Country Club. Tom Kim would beg to differ.

Kim shot a front-nine 29 to open his third round, becoming just the fifth golfer in U.S. Open history to card a 29 in a 9-hole stretch. Louis Oosthuizen was the last to do it during the second nine of the fourth round of the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

Kim began the day 1-over, 11 shots back of the lead. Teeing off nearly four hours before 36-hole leader Rickie Fowler, the 23-year-old took advantage of calmer morning conditions with six birdies and no bogeys on his opening side. Standing on the 10th tee, Kim found himself 5-under, just five shots back. A wave of strong ball striking provided the firepower to get him there while a clutch putter kept the momentum with several key par saves.

The two-time TOUR winner took advantage of the front nine’s gettable holes with birdies on No. 1, 6 and 8 – the three easiest holes on the course. He stuck a wedge to within 4 feet on the par-4 third for birdie, holed an 18-footer for birdie on the par-3 fourth then flagged another on the par-3 ninth and converted the 5-footer to complete the 29.

He would not have had that opportunity, though, if it wasn’t for clutch par putts of 10 and 15 feet on Nos. 2 and 7. After needing 64 putts through 36 holes at LACC, Kim logged only 12 on his front nine.

Kim, who became the second youngest player to win twice on PGA TOUR when he won earlier this season at the Shriners Children’s Open, is in search of his first top-10 at a major championship. He finished 23rd in his maiden U.S. Open appearance at The Country Club last year.

His historic front nine on Saturday has put the young American in a great position not only to top that but to chase his first major championship victory.