PINEHURST, N.C. – It's a doctorate-level examination on this U.S. Open Saturday, with increasingly firm conditions forcing players to hit specific numbers to hold approach shots on Pinehurst No. 2’s turtleback greens. The conditions will make for appointment viewing Saturday afternoon, with tee times stretching to 3:35 p.m. ET for the final pairing of Ludvig Åberg and Bryson DeChambeau.

The par-4 third hole could offer some early fireworks. The 382-yard par 4 is using a forward tee for Saturday’s third round, with the hole playing to just 316 yards, an early chance to get aggressive and pursue an eagle opportunity.

Red numbers can be rare at a U.S. Open, an axiom that will ring true on Saturday, a Moving Day where any significant moving is likely backwards. The third hole could be a birdie chance, although peril also lurks.

The third hole’s green complex is one of Pinehurst’s most devilish – at a venue with 18 devilish complexes – with a severe dropoff just off the green’s back side. Saturday’s back-middle hole location is snugly placed near the green's back edge. A snake-like bunker protects most of the green’s left side, with two more bunkers short and right of the green – there are a few yards of fairway between the bunkers to chase a ball onto the green, but it’s an exacting challenge.

The hole played to 389 yards in Round 1 and 382 yards in Round 2. All players Thursday opted to lay back off the tee, leaving a wedge approach to the hole. The same was mostly true Friday, with the exception being Charlie Reiter who played to just left of the green. Through 11 twosomes Saturday, no player had yet to hit the green – although most were within close proximity in the adjacent bunkers and grasses. Among the early starters to attack the green with driver: Scottie Scheffler (left bunker) and Cameron Young (right bunker).

The first player to pull it off: Ohio State alum Neal Shipley, who launched a rocket-like tee shot to 21 feet. Shipley is making his final start as an amateur (via a runner-up at last year's U.S. Amateur) before he turns pro for next week's PGA TOUR Americas event.

The shot might be doable, but it’s far from easy.

“The moment I wake up on a Saturday after missing the cut I root for the course to become impossible so I can laugh at all the stupid players who whooped my ass,” Max Homa posted Saturday morning on X, after missing the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71-75.

Homa should get his wish Saturday – with a splash of unpredictability at the third hole.