Mito Pereira will take a three-shot lead into the final day of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills after overcoming a shaky turn to surge out in front on Saturday. Pereira birdied the last to card a 69 and remain ahead of overnight leader Will Zalatoris and Matthew Fitzpatrick, who put himself into contention after shooting an excellent 67.
Rory McIlroy’s bid to end his major drought suffered a significant early blow, however. After a run of five straight pars, McIlroy pulled his tee shot to the par-three sixth into the water and ran up a double-bogey five to drop back to two under par. It would be followed by a triple-bogey six and although a run of birdies helped, McIlroy then dropped a further shot at the 18th to finish the day at level par overall.
Earlier in the day, Tiger Woods recorded his worst ever score in the PGA Championship as a successful battle to make the cut took a heavy toll at Southern Hills. Woods shot 79, his previous worst score in the US PGA being a 77 in the first round in 2011. “I just didn’t play well,” Woods said. “I didn’t hit the ball very well and got off to not the start I needed to get off to. I thought I hit a good tee shot down two and ended up in the water, and just never really got any kind of momentum on my side.”
It was confirmed after the conclusion of the third day that Woods had withdrawn from the tournament and the 46-year-old will not play in the fourth round.
Follow all the action on what promises to be an intriguing final day, below:
Three under leads in the clubhouse
Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Kirk are both safely into the clubhouse with scores of (-3) for the tournemant. They are the two leaders in the clubhouse and will be keeping an eye on proceedings. There have been plenty of drop shots and there are plenty of holes still to play.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:41
Under pressure
Cameron Young can’t hold his nerve on the 14th green and he drops a shot with a bogey five.
It’s a two shot swing as Mito Pereira eases the pressure with a solid birdie on the 13th. He had a putt for eagle that he rolled up to the hole for a gimme birdie.
Matt Fitzpatrick (-3) almost got himself back into the mix but his own birdie effort lips out of the hole.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:37
Close!
Justin Thomas almost moves within one of the leaders with a birdie putt on the 5th. It looks good as he lets it roll but it swerves to the left at the last minute and skirts by.
If he can make another birdie the guys behind him will start to feel very nervous.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:32
Pereira under pressure
The pressure is ramping up on Mito Pereira who can’t find any rhythm. He saved par on nine, 10 and 11 but the drop shot finally arrived on the 12th to move him alongside Cameron Young at (-6).
The Chilean is three over for the round but has the 13th up next which is a par-5. Can he score a birdie or better here to stop the rot?
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:27
Thomas hangs on
Justin Thomas (-4) errs on the par-3 14th but manages to recover to slot a six-foot putt home to save par and stay within three. If he can get into the clubhouse at five or six under he’ll have a proper chance of winning this.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:20
Fitzpatrick falling away
It’s been a terrible start to the back nine for Matt Fitzpatrick who has bogeyed the 10th and the 11th to slump to -3 and four shots off the lead.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:17
Zalatoris wild off the tee on 12
Will Zalatoris attempts to cut the corner by going over the trees on 12 but hooks his drive into the rough. From there he’s scrambling to make par and gets left with a long putt to avoid dropping a shot.
Criminally he leaves it short and as a result fall to five under.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:10
Bogey for Fitz
Matt Fitzpatrick falls further behind with a bogey five on the 10th to move three behind Mito Pereira. The leader performs another class chip and putt to rescue his second par in as many holes.
These saves will be important come towards the end of the round.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 22:03
Fleetwood moving up
A great chip on 17 by Tommy Fleetwood leaves him with two feet left for a birdie that he taps in without too much trouble to move to (-3).
Rory McIlroy finally gets an eight-footer to fall as he pars the final hole to end the weekend at (-2). Not the result he would have been hoping for after the first round but it’ll be another top 10 finish.
Michael Jones22 May 2022 21:59
Tough work for the leaders
It’s been hard going for the leading four players today. Only Cameron Young is under par for the round and his consistent play – picking up birdies after dropping shots – may lead him all the way to the title.
Mito Pereira (-7) is two over for his round but has just made a great par save on nine. Can he click into gear on the back nine and move further ahead?
Michael Jones22 May 2022 21:55