The 54-hole leader/co-leader has won 48 times, most recently Tiger Woods in 2008.
The third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win 11 of 24 stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR this season, most recently Jason Day at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
Third-round leads of the previous four U.S. Opens hosted at Pebble Beach Golf Links:
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | 8-under 205 | 10 over Ernie Els |
| 1992 | Gil Morgan | 4-under 212 | 1 over three players |
| 1982 | Bill Rogers, Tom Watson | 4-under 212 | 2 over four players |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | Even par 216 | 1 over three players |