Two-time champion Brooks Koepka holds a one-shot lead in Sunday’s final round of the US PGA Championship with Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy among a notable group of contenders at Oak Hill.
American Koepka, winner in 2018 and 2019, compiled a four-under 66 in heavy rain to move to six-under overall.
Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners are one shot at five under, two ahead of Bryson DeChambeau.
Rose and Scottie Scheffler are four back, with McIlroy five back.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who won the last of his four major titles at this championship in 2014, often found himself battling his own swing as well as some miserable course conditions. .
The world number three got off to a fast start with two birdies in his first five holes but three bogeys in his next four threatened to derail his round.
However, three birdies on the back nine helped him post a one-under par 69 for the second day in a row.
England’s Rose, whose only major win came a decade ago at the US Open, also carded a 69 in a round punctuated by several unusually long putts.
Southern California club professional Michael Block, who played with Rose, impressed again as he completed another eventful round at level par to stay in the top 10 and six strokes off the lead.
The brutal conditions add an extra layer of difficulty
Saturday’s third round began in dire conditions as torrential rain added a layer of difficulty to the already punishing East Course at Oak Hill.
World number one Jon Rahm was one of the first to suffer the deluge that made it difficult to escape from the rough and reduced the length of drives to 30 yards for those who could accurately see the fairway from tee.
The Spaniard, who won the Masters in April, recorded six bogeys in his first 10 holes but consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th, one at the 17th and one at the 622-yard par-five. That fourth saw him post a 72 and he was at six over par.
Others including the 2005 and 2021 US PGA champion, Phil Mickelson, were not so lucky.
The 52-year-old, who has remarkably made 100 cuts in 119 majors matches, endured a tough day, carding a birdie-free 75 that left him 10 over par for his 30th. championship appearance.
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters bucked the trend a bit with four birdies in the first five holes before coming back and signing for a level-par 70.
And England’s Tyrrell Hatton did one better thanks to birdies on the 12th and 13th during an impressive back nine of 33.
Koepka turned the jeers into cheers
A chorus of boos greeted Koepka and his playing partner Bryson DeChambeau on the first tee as the pair left the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf set-up backed by Saudi Arabia.
However, by the time the 33-year-old rattled in a 47-foot birdie putt at the 17th the jeers had long been replaced by cheers.
Koepka, who also won two US Open titles, spoke openly about the “choke” at the Masters last month, where he was four shots ahead of eventual winner Jon Rahm when play was suspended due to bad weather in the third round.
And while he still has to pass a tough test this Sunday, given the talent at the top of the leaderboard, his form, stamina and mental toughness will make him a tough opponent to beat.
Back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth showed his strong hitting and excellent iron play and while he bogeyed the seventh he remained patient and was rewarded on the 12th and 13th holes as the odds dwindled. condition.
More to follow.
