PINEHURST — For much of the third round of the 124th U.S. Open on Saturday, it looked like the host state could have one of its own holding a chance to win with 18 holes to play.

Akshay Bhatia, a Wake Forest native, sat at 2 under par for the championship through 12 holes, with the lead sitting at 5 or 6 under for most of that span.

But four bogeys in his final six holes dropped Bhatia out of contention, as a 3-over 73 left him at a 2-over-par total, nine strokes behind leader Bryson DeChambeau in a tie for 16th.

Bhatia chipped the ball off the green on the par-4 13th, leading to bogey, then missed par putts of 13 and 11 feet on the par-3 15th and 17th holes. He then couldn’t get up-and-down after missing the green short at the par-4 finishing hole.

Despite the late struggles, Bhatia remains the tournament’s low North Carolinian entering Sunday.

Hickory’s J.T. Poston shot a 1-over 71 and is 5 over for the championship in a tie for 32nd.

Poston’s round featured one birdie, a tap-in after a stellar approach to the 13th, but the highlight of his day came with an epic par save three holes later.

On the par-4 16th, Poston had to punch out after an errant drive, and his third shot found the right greenside bunker about 15 yards from the hole. He then made the par attempt on the fly, prompting a loud and rapid roar from the assembled spectators.

Brendon Todd, from Cary, shot a 4-over 74 and is tied for 58th at 9 over for the week. Ben Kohles, a Cary resident, shot 76 and is 11 over par in a tie for 65th.