Australian golf stars falter in US Open third round

If it wasn't already, the Australian challenge for US Open golf glory is officially over for another year.

The required third-round charges from Min Woo Lee, Cameron Smith and Adam Scott never materialised as all three Australians to make the halfway cut slumped further off the pace in North Carolina.

After starting moving day seven shots behind, Lee could only manage a two-over-par 72 to slip 11 strokes adrift of American leader Bryson DeChambeau.

Smith is a further shot back at five over for the championship after also posting a 72 at penal Pinehurst No.2.

Scott's third-round 76 left the former world No.1 at eight over, a distant 15 shots off the lead in his 92nd consecutive major championship appearance.

DeChambeau caught fire mid-round to shoot a 67, surging to seven under and a three-shot advantage over Frenchman Matthieu Pavon (69), Patrick Cantlay (70) and Rory McIlroy (69).

Halfway leader Ludvig Aberg slipped back to two under with a round of 73.

No Australian has won the US Open, golf's most gruelling major, since Geoff Oglivy joined David Graham (1981) on the honour board in 2006.

Two-time runner-up Jason Day, along with Cam Davis and Jason Scrivener, missed the cut this week.