The question is which one of those lions will roar the loudest at the end of Sunday's final round in Erin, Wisconsin.
Thomas, decked out in shocking fluorescent pink trousers, produced a no less electric performance signing for nine-under 63 to equal the lowest numerical score in a major and the best ever in the 117 year-history of the U.S. Open in relation to par.
All of that, and he's still one back of leader Brian Harman, who is 12-under par for the week after shooting a five-under 67 on Saturday.
His tough break on 18 led to the third of those, which is the slim difference between he and Brian Harman right now.
Thomas has all the momentum, though.
He ended up with two birdies and no bogeys over his last five holes. Although his afternoon was full of highlights, two stick out above the rest.
Thomas was the huge story on moving day, as he fired a nine-under 63 that included a spectacular birdie putt on the fifth hole and a closing eagle on the 18th hole. Obviously, he made it.
"I worked too hard Monday through Wednesday and so by Saturday I was exhausted", Reed said, per Ben Everil of PGATour.com.
Justin Thomas overcame a rumbling stomach to take a bite out of US Open history on Saturday with a record-breaking 63. "I'm thankful for that". But just for me, I felt like I've been playing pretty well all week, and didn't have quite the numbers to show for it.
Arnold Palmer's 1960 US Open win honored at Erin
His wavy brown hair and light beard would make him fit right in on the North Shore of Oahu, although he's from Southport, England. The soft, forgiving conditions created opportunity for major movement up the leaderboard for those players willing to take it.
"I'm proud of the way I hung in there today".
"But more important than that was just to get myself in contention to win the tournament". First and foremost, he'll have to overcome the one-stroke lead held by Harman, whom he's grouped with in the final pairing on Sunday.
The course had been softened by rain earlier in the week, and it finally played the way the USGA wanted in the final round.
Whether this has been a good USA open so far seems to be in the eye of the beholder. More significant, though, is his own history.
Rickie Fowler, on the verge of being left behind, rallied with three straight birdies and shot 68.
Without Spieth, McIlroy, Day or Johnson to compete with him at the top of the leaderboard, there will never be a better time than now for Fowler to win his first major.
Not to be overlooked was Si Woo Kim, who captured The Players Championship last month. If he keeps up that consistency, Kim could easily take home the title. Patrick Reed, Charley Hoffman and Russell Henley (8-under) all have a chance to make a move, as do a number of guys below them on the leaderboard.
Former US Open winners Jordan Spieth and Martin Kaymer are having shocker Saturdays, with 2015 champion Spieth carding a 76 and 2014 victor Kaymer five-over on his round and two-over for the tournament. It'll be a life-changing Father's Day for someone, and maybe not someone you'd expect.
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