And here’s Ewan Murray’s report from Bellerive:
Finally the leader Brooks Koepka! He was able to go to school on Woodland’s putt, but that one slides by on the left as well. Still, that’s a 66 that gives him a two-shot lead going into the final round. He’ll tee it up tomorrow in the hope of landing his third major title ... but look at all the names chasing him! Wow. It’s been a blast today. Please join us tomorrow for what promises to be an exciting birdie shoot-out at Bellerive! Nighty night, and sweet dreams everyone.
-12: Koepka
-10: Scott
-9: Rahm, Fowler, Woodland
-8: Woods, Cink, Day, Thomas, Lowry, Schwartzel
-7: Suri, Molinari, Kisner
-6: Berger, Schauffele, Simpson, Perez, Pieters, Stone
-5: Pepperell, Poulter, Wallace, Grillo, Rose, Cantlay, D Johnson
Gary Woodland is left with a 40-foot downhill left-to-right slider. He very nearly makes it. Half an inch to the right and it’d have dropped. But that’s a par, and a fine 71 when you factor in his bunker meltdown on 10, and his dunking in the water at 2. He’s still in this, and has shown superb battling qualities. It really looked like he’d gone after the events at 10; it’s to his immense credit that a maiden major is still a very real possibility. He’s -9. A par for Kevin Kisner, who shoots 72 and ends up at -7.
The leader by two, Brooks Koepka, finds sand down the right of 18 with his drive. Gary Woodland is in the same trap. Woodland first ... and he whip-cracks a fine second into the heart of the green. Not particularly close to the flag, but avoiding late disaster was his main aim. Then it’s Koepka’s turn ... and he wedges hard, 20 feet behind the flag. For a second the ball threatens to topple backwards, Sandy Lyle at Augusta style, but it sticks. Half a chance of birdie, nothing more.
It’s been a miserable day for the world number-one Dustin Johnson. Out in 36, be bogeyed 10 and 12, then doubled 14. A late rally - 15, 17 and finally 18 - means he’s signing for a 72. The big man was leading this tournament at one point, but he’s probably too far back now at -5. His partner Rickie Fowler can’t make his birdie putt, so that’s a 69: he’s -9. And Charl Schwartzel nearly holes a chip, but it’s par and a 69. He’s -8.
Gary Woodland’s birdie putt slides by on the left. He might have been spooked by what happened to Koepka just then, coming from roughly the same direction. He stays at -9. Par for Kevin Kisner, a decent result after driving it into the water down the right of the hole. He’s -7. And finally Koepka tidies up, and he returns to -12, two clear of Adam Scott.
A birdie for Shane Lowry at 18! That’s a 69 to go with the 64 he completed this morning. He punches the air; that’s huge in terms of the leader board, and also securing a later tee time. He’s -8. Back on 17, Gary Woodland leaves his 50-foot eagle putt well short; he’ll still have the best part of ten feet for his birdie. Then Koepka lets his eagle putt slide to the right, another who has failed to read that line. Meanwhile Fowler wedges into 18. He’s straight at the flag, left with an uphill 12-footer for birdie.
Rickie Fowler goes for the eagle chip-in from the back of 17. It flies four feet past, but he gets the one coming back, and that’s a long-awaited birdie. He’s -9. Meanwhile a birdie for his partner Charl Schwartzel, too; the 2011 Masters champion has been very quiet, but he’s suddenly -8. Then coming behind, Brooks Koepka whips a stunning long iron pin high: he’ll have a 15-foot look at eagle, albeit with the left-to-right break that foxed Adam Scott recently. Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner are on in two as well, but are a good distance from the flag.
On the subject of JT, he’s making a bit of a pig’s lug of 18. His second is short and left of the fairway. From the rough, he fluffs his third into the bunker. He clips out nicely to five feet, but the putt that’s left will be for bogey. He makes it to limit the damage. A 68, and the defending champion is -8 going into the final round. Adam Scott can’t make his short birdie putt, another But that’s his second 65 of the week. And a 70 for Pat Perez, who stays at -6.
-11: Koepka (16)
-10: Scott (F)
-9: Rahm (F), Woodland (16)
-8: Woods (F), Cink (F), Day (F), Thomas (F) Fowler (16)
Adam Scott wedges to six feet on 18. He’s got that for a share of the lead. Back on 17, Rickie Fowler sends a low fizzer out of the rough down the left and into the heart of the green. He can’t hold the green, but the ball nestles in the rough at the back, pretty much from where Justin Thomas recently got up and down for his birdie. He’s not miles from the flag.
Woodland makes his par putt from the fringe ... then Koepka nails his as well! You wouldn’t have put a whole load of cash on either of those being made. That’s quite exceptional. They remain at -9 and -11 respectively. On 18, Francesco Molinari pars for a 68. He’s -7, and back-to-back majors are still on!
Woodland tries to send a high flop onto the 16th green, but he doesn’t give it enough oomph. It reaches the top of the bank, but not quite the green, nestling on the fringe. Koepka then looks to chip in from the rough at the back, but seriously overcooks it. He’s got an eight-footer coming back to save his par. Up on 18, Jon Rahm pars to card a blemish-free 66. He’s right in this at -9!
After waiting on the 16th tee for 12 minutes, neither Koepka nor Woodland can find the green with their tee shots. The former sends his just through the back, though not miles from the flag; the latter is down a bank to the right, and he’ll have quite the chip up, because he’s got an awful lie, a big bank to navigate, and very little green to play with.
-11: Koepka (15)
-10: Scott (17)
-9: Rahm (17), Thomas (17), Woodland (15)
Adam Scott finds 17 in two strokes. He’s left with a 40-footer across the green. There’s a big left-to-right break that he doesn’t read, and his eagle effort kinks off to the right. He’s left with a six-footer for his birdie. It’s got plenty of left-to-right break, too, but he reads this one perfectly. Birdie, and he’s -10. Justin Thomas’s second goes over the back, but he swishes to three feet and his birdie takes him to -9. And a three-putt par for the third memer of the group, Pat Perez, admittedly from the best part of 100 feet. He remains at -6.
Jason Day pars 18 and signs for his second 67 of the week. Throw in a 68 and he’s -8, three off the lead right now. Birdie for his playing partner Julian Suri, after a glorious second to kick-in distance. He’s shot 68 as well; he’s -7.
Brooks Koepka had a five-shot lead less than half-an-hour ago. Now it’s just two. That’s given the chasing pack succour. Jon Rahm finds the par-five 17th in two, and two calm putts later, he’s joining Adam Scott and Gary Woodland in a tie for second at -9.
Koepka is so cool under pressure. He’s got a tight lie at the bottom of a bank. But he flicks the ball gently into the air, lands it softly on the green, and sends it rolling to 12 inches. He’ll limit the damage to a bogey. But that is his second dropped shot in two holes. Things change quickly, huh. Par for Woodland. There’ll be a bit of a wait to play 16, too, because Brandon Stone nearly slam-dunked into the cup for a hole-in-one. The flagstick kept it out, and has damaged the side of the hole. The players are waiting for a ruling, or perhaps for the greenkeeper to come over and sort.
-11: Koepka (15)
-9: Scott (16), Woodland (15)
-8: Woods (F), Cink (F), Day (17), Rahm (16), Thomas (16), Fowler (15)
Big trouble for Brooks Koepka! His ball has nestled in the roots of a huge tree on the right of 15. He’s got no option but to take a penalty drop. His third goes long and left of the green ... and he’s shortsided coming up a bank! This could be a very different tournament in ten minutes or so. Meanwhile Jason Day joins the group at -8 with birdie at the par-five 17th.
The leader is looking human again. Having just dropped his first shot of the day, Brooks Koepka sends a big slice into the trees down the right of 15. Gary Woodland splits the fairway, and suddenly the world looks a lot different than it did just one hour ago, when he was losing his mind in the sand at 10. Life is better for Adam Scott, too, who responded to that yip on 15 by nearly making hole in one at 16 ... and calmly making his birdie. For a while back there, Koepka looked as though he might run away with this tournament, but nothing’s certain in golf, is it?
-12: Koepka (14)
-9: Scott (16), Woodland (14)
-8: Woods (F), Cink (F), Rahm (16), Thomas (15), Fowler (14)
Stewart Cink pars the last for a superb round of 66. Five birdies, one bogey, and he’s -8. Then it’s Tiger’s turn. He’s got a 15-foot uphill putt for a final birdie that’ll take the roof off the nearby clubhouse. But it always stays high on the left. That’s a par, and a 66. He’s -8 too, having parred the last ten holes. That three-putt on 17 will be stinging right now.
And suddenly the lead is only three, because Koepka’s playing partner Gary Woodland birdies 14 to get himself back to -9! He’s alone in second again. This is a magnificent response to that meltdown in the sand at 10. He looked a broken man back there. But he’s pulled himself together in the way that potential major champions do! Meanwhile on 16, Adam Scott nearly replicates Matt Wallace’s hole in one! Not quite, and after that appalling yip on 15, you wouldn’t give him the putt. But he should make it, to move to -9. Let’s see.
Finally a mistake by Brooks Koepka. He takes an iron off the 14th tee, and pulls it into the rough on the left. Perhaps worried about the hazard down that side, he sends his second into the bunker to the right of the green. For once, a scramble for par is beyond him, and the lead is back to just four: he’s -12. Meanwhile Jon Rahm rakes a 30-footer into the cup across 16. It’s his third birdie of a blemish-free round, and perhaps he’s in the best frame of mind to challenge Koepka tomorrow?
Adam Scott’s putter finally lets him down. He misses a tiddler at 15 - an overhit pull, a real rush of blood - and suddenly Brooks Koepka has a five-shot lead. A double-bogey six for Pat Perez at 15, meanwhile, the result of a poor bunker shot and a duffed chip. He’s -6.
-13: Koepka (13)
-8: Woods (17), Cink (17), Thomas (15), Scott (15), Fowler (14), Woodland (13)
Tiger gives his eagle putt a good clatter. Too much. It wheechs through the right-to-left break and stays on the high side. He’s got a three-footer for birdie coming back, though. He’s going to move into second pla....aargh! He yips it! That’s his second three-putt today, and a place in the final group tomorrow - and with it, a chance to put some crowd and match-play pressure on the leader - is a little less likely right now. His partner Stewart Cink nearly holes out for eagle from a bunker, but is more than happy to tidy up for birdie. The 2009 Open champion is right in the thick of it now!
Koepka pulls his tee shot into the thick stuff to the left of the par-three 13th. Another test for his scrambling skills. He flips out softly to six feet, about the best he could do. And in goes the par putt. Man’s a machine! Woodland looks revived by his birdie on 12, meanwhile, and clips his tee shot to eight feet! A lovely shot. But he doesn’t quite hit his birdie putt, and it dies off to the right. His shoulders slump again. That would have been a huge fillip. He stays at -8. Kisner slices into the bunker on the right, but does extremely well to whip his second to three feet. That’s a great up and down. He’s still -7.
But here’s something! On the par-five 17th, Tiger lashes a long iron from 250 yards into the heart of the green. He’ll have a 20-foot look at eagle. Back on 13, Rickie Fowler’s tee shot goes over the back. His chip comes out hot and he can’t sink the putt coming back. He slips to -8, a second shot gone since the turn.
At 14, birdie chances go begging for Adam Scott (-9) and Justin Thomas (-8). Pat Perez makes par as well, in ludicrous style, driving into thick rough on the right, hooking towards the hazard on the left, hacking out of it and a good 25 feet past the hole, then making the par saver. He walks off shaking his head. He remains at -8. Meanwhile a much-needed birdie for Gary Woodland at 12, but Kevin Kisner drops another stroke. They’re both -8 now. Nobody in the chasing pack can get their act together.
Nobody’s making a move at Brooks Koepka. There’s a slight dip in energy around Bellerive as the early birdie blitzes have quietened. Not much in the way of drama. Koepka finds 12 in regulation and will have another uphill 20-footer for birdie. It shaves the left rim. Par. Bogey for Shane Lowry at 13.
Koepka flips a wedge up onto the dancefloor. Soft hands. He’s given himself a chance to scramble par from six feet. And in it goes! What an up-and-down from a very awkward position! He remains four in the lead at -13. It’s all too easy right now. Kevin Kisner, who had also disappeared down the swale, can’t get up and down and he slips back to -8. On 16, Tiger nearly holes a 40-foot left-to-right slider, but that’s seven pars in a row. He’s still -8. And up on 18, Rory McIlroy signs for a 71. He’s -2.
But is Brooks Koepka about to make a rare misstep? He sends his tee shot at 11 into thick stuff down the right, and his second is a flyer that disappears down a swale at the back. That’ll be a tough up and down. Adam Scott is one turn of the ball away from birdie at 13, but his 30-foot effort stops just short. He remains at -9.
That was heartbreaking for Gary Woodland. Awful luck to find his ball in his old disturbed sand. But you can’t blame his caddie. Dealing with his player as he took his second bunker shot would have taken precedence over raking the first bunker. And if you go from sand trap to sand trap, and then back again, you really only have yourself to blame. It’s hard to see the 34-year-old from Kansas coming back from that. He’s yet to finish in the top ten at a major. Holding the 36-hole record at the PGA won’t be much of a consolation if he can’t at least make the top ten this weekend.
Back to the travails of poor Gary Woodland on 10. He only just gets his ball out of the bunker. It hits the bank, thinks about toppling back in, but sticks there. He nearly chips in for six, but that’s a triple-bogey seven, an awful mess. He crashes out of second place, down to -7. Just a par for Brooks Koepka, meanwhile, as he doesn’t hit his birdie putt. But he’s suddenly in total control of the 100th PGA Championship!
-13: Koepka (10)
-9: Scott (12), Fowler (10), Kisner (10)
-8: Woods (14), Perez (12), Thomas (12), Lowry (11)
HOLE IN ONE FOR MATT WALLACE AT 16! He sends his tee shot straight at the flag. Two bounces, a shuffle and a roll, and it’s in! He’s won a couple of times on the European Tour this season, but he won’t have heard a reception like the one that greets him now! A wonderful moment for the 28-year-old from west London! He picks the ball out of the cup, kisses it, and throws it into the crowd. That’s a lovely touch, making a precious souvenir for someone. Oh, he’s -5 now by the way.
Disaster for Gary Woodland on 10. He finds the front bunker, then hits a thin one over the green and into the sand at the back! And this is getting ugly, because he makes exactly the same mistake again, sending his ball back into the first bunker! And that bunker hasn’t been raked ... and his ball’s settled on the sand he’d disturbed before. Back with that in a moment, because ...
Here’s another man who can’t afford many mistakes, the way Koepka is going: Rickie Fowler. And he makes a three-putt bogey at 10. He’s back to -9. Back down the hole, the leader crashes another drive into Position A, then finds the heart of the green. He’ll have an uphill look at birdie from 20 feet or so.
Tiger sends his second at 14 to six feet, but pulls the birdie putt. He briefly considers burying the head of the putter into the ground, bringing it high into the air and then motioning downwards. But common sense wins the day. However, he knows full well that he can’t be giving up chances like that when Koepka is relentless. He stays at -8.
Jordan Spieth followed up his triple at 12 with bogey at 13. He lands his second at 14 roughly 12 inches from the cup, and nearly spins it back in. He’ll kick that one in for birdie, and he’s back to -4. But what a collapse, after getting himself into position. He’s alongside Jimmy Walker on the leader board: the 2016 champion has birdied 15, 17 and 2.
Brooks Koepka hits the turn in 30. He’s managed that after making yet another birdie, at 9, having split the fairway with a big drive and sending his second to ten feet. Gary Woodland meanwhile can’t make a par saver from the fringe, and all of a sudden there’s a three-shot gap at the top! Koepka’s hardly breaking sweat. His resting pulse must be about 12.
-13: Koepka (9)
-10: Fowler (9), Woodland (9)
-9: Scott (10), Kisner (9)
Thomas can’t make his birdie effort on 10. He swipes his putter viciously through the air, a study in frustration. That was such a good escape from behind the tree, it really deserved more reward. I’m sure he’d have taken a par before hitting his second, though, something his caddie is almost certainly telling him right now.
-12: Koepka (8)
-11: Woodland (8)
-10: Fowler (8)
-9: Scott (9), Kisner (8)
-8: Woods (12), Molinari (10), Thomas (10), Lowry (9)
One of the shots of the day by Justin Thomas, behind a tree down the left of 10. He sets his ball way out right, hooking back to the green. His ball lands pin high, 12 feet from the flag. Bogey looked a distinct possibility there, especially as there’s a creek running across the front of the green. Now he’ll be looking at birdie. Belated news of Rickie Fowler, meanwhile, who birdied 8. After picking up a stroke at 6, the man who has the best cumulative score under par at this year’s majors - but nothing to show for it, yet - is -10.
Brooks Koepka clips out of the trees at 8, then hits the flagstick with his third. He’ll tidy that up for birdie. He’s -12, one clear of Gary Woodland, who finds the green in two, lags a 45-footer to 18 inches, and makes his birdie. Just the par for Kevin Kisner, who remains at -9. Meanwhile par for Tiger at 12, his fourth in a row. Birdie for Shane Lowry at 9. And the Open champ Francesco Molinari follows birdies at 2 and 8 with his third of the day at 10. He’s -8.
Pat Perez birdies 9, and he reaches the turn in 33. He’s -8. His playing partner Adam Scott nearly makes birdie too, but has to do with par and turns in 31. He’s -9. And Julian Suri, the 27-year-old New Yorker whose family were instrumental in bringing cricket to India, is going along very steadily indeed. Birdies at 6 and 8, and he’s currently -7 for the tournament after 10 holes of his third round. Not bad for someone making his debut in a Stateside major, though he did finish in the top 30 at Carnoustie, so maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised.
Brandon Stone’s had an up-and-down afternoon so far. Bogeys at 2 and 6; birdies at 3, 5, 7 and now 8. He joins the group at -8. Brooks Koepka hooks his drive at the long par-five 8th into the trees on the left. And up on 12, Jordan Spieth - whose shot from the trees went out of bounds - ends up with a triple-bogey seven. He crashes down the leader board to -4, so much good work undone in an instant. The career-slam dream will almost certainly have to wait another year ... but then we thought he was out of this year’s Masters, and very nearly snatched that from under everyone’s nose.
Eventually they deign to cut back to what’s going on in the 100th PGA Championship. It looks as though Spieth’s second caromed off a tree, off to the right, where it’s either lost or OB, it’s not clear. So he drops and sends his fourth shot out of the forest, across the fairway, and into thick rough on the other side of the hole. This could end up being very costly.
Jordan Spieth is four shots off the lead. He’s chasing a career slam. And he’s driven deep into the trees at 12. Slamming out with a hybrid, trying to get through a small gap between two trunks, I’m not sure he’s escaped. But there’s no way of knowing, because 11 Sports immediately cut to an interview with two spectators dressed in tiger suits. Who thinks this sort of thing flies with viewers? Who wants it? Nobody asks for it, do they.
I knew that would clear somebody’s pipes. Adam Scott nearly makes the week’s first eagle at 8 with a 40-foot rake. He’ll settle for birdie, and moves to -9. His compatriot Jason Day reaches the turn in 33, having made two big par-saving putts at 8 and 9. He hangs on in there at -7. On 7, the leader Brooks Koepka batters a monster drive down the track, but can’t get up and down from 80 yards for another birdie. And at 11, Woods wedges to 15 feet, but only gives his putt - dead on line - 14 feet’s worth of energy. Par.
-11: Koepka (7)
-10: Woodland (7)
-9: Scott (8), Fowler (7), Kisner (7)
-8: Woods (11), Thomas (8)
The early flood of birdies seems to have dribbled to a halt. It’s almost as though all these big names, having gotten themselves into contention, are slightly less willing to take swashbuckling risks for birdie. You’ll thank me for tempting fate when it all starts up again in a few minutes.
Bogey for Dustin Johnson at 5, the result of sending his drive into rough down the left of the hole. He slips to -6. Justin Rose drops a shot at 9; he’s -5. Chris Kirk sheds a shot at 12; he’s -5. And on 10, there’s predictable bedlam as Tiger guides in a right-to-left curler to scramble his par ... while the reigning Players champ Webb Simpson holes out from a bunker to remain at -5. Both players punch the air as their ball disappears from view. Not feeling so good with himself: Rory McIlroy, who follows up those back-to-back birdies by making an awful balls of the 12th. He sends his drive into the trees, and eventually runs up a double-bogey six. He’s back to -1, and any hope of a late run from the pack is finally extinguished.
Koepka does very well to splash out of the sand at 6 to four feet, and tidies up for his par. He should be joined at -11 by Woodland, who had found the front of the green but watches in stunned disbelief as his 20-foot putt curls all the way round the right-hand side of the cup and stops at the back, teetering on the edge but stubbornly refusing to fall. He remains at -10. Bogey for Pieters at 7, a short putt pushed right. And on 10, Tiger wedges to eight feet and will have a chance of saving his par.
Tiger slices his drive at 10 into thick rough on the right. He’s forced to lay up, not willing to take on the creek running across the fairway just before the green. Trouble for Koepka on the par-three 6th, too: he pulls his tee shot into the bunker on the left. Stewart Cink hits the turn in 33 strokes after birdies at 7 and 8: the 2009 Open champion is -6.
Gary Woodland’s second into 5 comes hot out of the rough, and though it stays on the back of the green, he’s faced with a 70-foot putt. A two-putt par is far from a gimme, but he lags it up wonderfully. He’s not in the zone at all this morning, but doing very well to keep his round from spiralling out of control. That’s vital, because one of his partners, Brooks Koepka, continues to sashay round Bellerive in a very calm fashion. A 20-footer rolled with great confidence into the centre of the cup gives him a third birdie in the first five holes. Meanwhile a first birdie of the day for Rickie Fowler, after sending his tee shot at the par-three 6th to six feet.
-11: Koepka (5)
-10: Woodland (5)
-9: Fowler (6), Kisner (5)
-8: Woods (9), Thomas (7), Scott (7), Pieters (6), Schwartzel (6)
-7: Spieth (10), Day (7), Perez (7), Lowry (6)
Jon Rahm has been quiet today. A run of six pars to begin. But he picks up his first stroke of the day at 7 to move to -6. Shane Lowry rattles in a 20-footer on 6 to haul himself back up to -7. And a par for Tiger, who turns in 31. He allows himself a smile, then a hearty guffaw. One word of warning: he’s -10 for the front nine this week, but +2 for the back nine. Let’s see if he can buck that trend on the way home.
Jordan Spieth trundles a 25-foot birdie putt into the cup on 9. That’s three in a row, and he hits the turn in 31. Another big birdie putt for Adam Scott, this time at 6. Pars for Gary Woodland and Brooks Koepka at 4, but a birdie for Kevin Kisner. And another birdie for Rory McIlroy, whose putter seems to have finally turned warm, this time at 11. This is an absurdly talented - and bunched-up - leader board ...
-10: Woodland (4), Koepka (4)
-9: Kisner (4)
-8: Woods (8), Scott (6), Thomas (6), Pieters (5), Fowler (4)
-7: Spieth (9), Day (7), Perez (6), Stone (5), D Johnson (4), Schwartzel (4)
Rory refuses to down tools, despite being well adrift of the real action. He arrows his approach at 10 straight at the flag, and makes the putt for birdie. He’s -2. But back on 8, Tiger makes it three birdies on the bounce. Bellerive have waited an awfully long time to see Tiger in action; the St Louis crowd are whipping up a storm in celebration of his talent, making up for lost time. He’s -8. Thomas Pieters meanwhile rakes in a biggie on 5 for his first birdie of the day. He joins Tiger, JT, Rickie and Kevin Kisner in a tie for third at -8.
Tiger is rolling back the years. He eases a wedge at 8 to six feet. He’ll have a chance for his fifth birdie of the round. A second birdie for Adam Scott, this time at 5, and he’s -7. Birdie putts skate past the hole for Justin Thomas and Charl Schwartzel, at 5 and 4 respectively. And Daniel Berger - a major winner one day, surely - follows birdies at 1 and 8 with another at 10. He’s creeping up the leaderboard in style, having shot a second-round 65. He’s -5.
We can forget about Rory McIlroy. He’s just hit the turn in 37, having bogeyed 1, 4 and 7. Just the one birdie at 2. He’s -1. More bad news for Irish fans: Shane Lowry has bogeyed 4 to drop to -6. Meanwhile Kevin Kisner nearly drains a monster across 3 for birdie. Not quite. Gary Woodland makes bounceback birdie, though, reward for a tee shot sent ten feet from the flag. He’s got a share of the lead at -10 with his playing partner Koepka, who pars the par-three. And Jordan Spieth continues to rise: he follows birdie at 7 with another at 8: he’s -6.
Make that three off the lead ... because seconds later, Brooks Koepka calmly rolls in his birdie chance on 2! A perfect start for the US Open champ! Kevin Kisner meanwhile hits a hot chip 25 feet past the hole, though in truth he couldn’t do much better from the position he’d found himself. A bogey. Charl Schwartzel nearly makes a slam-dunk hole-in-one at 3, and suddenly the leaderboard has a radically different look about it:
-10: Koepka (2)
-9: Woodland (2)
-8: Thomas (4), Fowler (3), Kisner (2)
-7: Woods (7), Day (5), Pieters (3), Lowry (3), D Johnson (3), Schwartzel (3)
It’s been an eventful start for Justin Rose. He opened with a birdie, handed the shot back at 4, but has now carded back-to-back birdies at 5 and 6. He’s -6. Rafa Cabrera Bello meanwhile has hared up the standings: birdie at 14, eagle at 17 and now birdie at 1. He’s -5. And another birdie for Tiger, at 7, after sending his second over the flag to eight feet! He’s now only two off the lead, Woodland having tapped in and slipped back to -9.
Trouble for Kevin Kisner on 2. He’s sent his tee shot into thick stuff on the right. The next one goes through the green. He’s in cabbage, facing a huge bank, with a peninsula of rough jutting across the path to the flag. Good luck getting up and down from there. Meanwhile Gary Woodland is in thick rough, crossing the water he nearly found with his tee shot. And he finds the drink with his second. That was never clearing the hazard, a good ten yards short. He’s playing four from the dropzone ... and very nearly holes out! His wedge stops six feet past the hole, and spins back ... just not quite enough. He’ll limit the damage to bogey, though. A result given the two awful shots that went before. Brooks Koepka meanwhile is on the green in regulation, with a 15-foot chance for birdie.
Gary Woodland very nearly hooks his tee shot at 2 into the water on the left. He’s extremely lucky to get away with that. One more bounce and that was wet. His 64-66 start is the best 36-hole start in PGA Championship history, but there’s no sign of that form yet today. Early days of course. Jordan Spieth meanwhile has just birdied 7 to rise to -5. The career-slam seeking Texan has looked slightly out of sorts this week ... by his own ludicrously high standards. He’s only five off the lead!
The last group are out. And the double US Open champ Brooks Koepka has wasted no time in making a move. He splits the fairway with a booming drive, then screeches a wedge to a halt 12 inches from the cup. In goes the birdie putt, and he closes on Gary Woodland, who like Kevin Kisner pars the hole. Meanwhile Tiger makes his birdie putt on 6, and the crowd turn the noise up to 11. He’s back to -6.
-10: Woodland (1)
-9: Kisner (1), Koepka (1)
-8: Thomas (3), Fowler (1)
-7: Day (4), Pieters (2), Lowry (2), D Johnson (1)
A three-putt bogey for Tiger at 5. He slips back to -5, though he arrows his tee shot at the par-three 6th to ten feet, and will have chance to make a bounce-back birdie. Adam Scott tickles in a 15-footer on 3 to move to -6. JT follows up his birdie at 1 with another at 3; that’s his eight birdie today, all in all. He’s catapulted himself up the standings to -8.
Matt Wallace, a couple of wins in Europe under his belt this season, has made the cut in a major for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old Englishman shot a fine second-round 66, and he was quick out of the blocks here with birdies at 2 and 5. But a dropped shot at the par-three 6th drops him back to -4. Meanwhile a bogey five to start for Charl Schwartzel, the punishment for yipping a short par putt. He’s -6.
An early birdie for the Open champion Francesco Molinari. That’s come at 2; he’s -6. Jordan Spieth needed a fast start: he’s not quite got one, but four pars followed by birdie at 5 have got him moving in the right direction. He’s -4. Sungjae Im completed a fine second-round 67 this morning; the 20-year-old South Korean prodigy continues with birdies at 16 and 17. He’s -4.
Thanks to John ... and the first in-roads have been made towards the top of the leaderboard. The 2015 champ Jason Day has birdied 1 and 3; he’s -7 now and perhaps in shape for his first serious tilt at a major this season. The defending champ JT opens with a birdie and joins him at -7. And Chris Kirk is on fire right now: four birdies in the last five holes, at 4, 6, 7 and now 8. He’s -6. The 33-year-old from Tennessee has no record to speak of in the majors: his best finish is a tie for 19th at Hoylake in the 2014 Open. This could buff the old CV up nicely.
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OK, I shall pass over the baton to my good friend, and a better friend to you than me in these circumstances, Scott Murray. Enjoy.
At the fifth, Tiger gets out his driver, takes a lovely smooth swing and he blams it down the fairway. If anything, Clive, he’s hit that too well, and he is on the fringe of the fairway in what may well be a bad lie. He’s been a bit unlucky there.
Wow from Tiger! His short game is back, and his pitch is within mere inches of holing out. He is so confident that he knocks the ball in with one hand. It’s a par at the fourth, but one that shows he has the mojo. That red shirt will be worn with pride tomorrow. Eleven Sports cuts off its cab office broadcast amidships to show some ads.
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Action at last! And Tiger, at the fourth, is caught behind a tree. He lays up by smashing the hell out of his ball in its lie and cannot make the green. Webb Simpson does a little better. Here’s Justin Thomas on the 1st, and he drifts in from the fairway with a lovely iron shot.
Jason Day birdies the first to go level with Tiger at -6 while Rose, in doing the same, is one behind that group, and in the company of Zach Johnson. There are 18 players between -7 and -5, behind that leading group of Woodland on -10, Kisner on -9, Koepka and Fowler on -8. If it sounds like I am flannelling, then the coverage from Oz Cabs’ Albert Square branch is yet to get properly started. The camera angle also reminds of a police interview. For the benefit of the tape, Jamie Donaldson has entered the room.
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The best-placed Brit is Justin Rose at -5, with Matt Wallace at -4 and Ian Poulter is a shot behind that.
Eleven Sports’ coverage drops some funky wah-wah and Hammond organ breaks as it waits to begin its full coverage of this third round. They are still yet to go to the full broadcast, and are using Jamie Donaldson as an expert. Like me, Jamie is from Macclesfield so must be a great bloke.
Tiger has to play up and across the green, having been a significant distance from the hole. The direction was dead-on, but he didn’t give it enough juice to get there. Still, he makes par, as do both Cink and Simpson. Up the course, Chris Kirk is the best scorer, at -3 for the day going through hole seven.
At -6, Tiger is level with a pack that includes Justin Thomas. He is the lowest score currently on the course. His shot off the tee on this third hole par three is poor, though. The adrenaline does seem to get to him when the charges begin. Webb Simpson’s pitch to the green is probably the best of the lot. He gets a look at making birdie.
Tiger is strutting, delighted with himself. On second glimpse, the shot is within four feet. He pokes it along, to the right-hand lip of the hole and in. He is at -6, within four of the lead. This crowd is getting excited, but it must be said that this course is playing rather kindly for all. Both his companions ought to be angry at not getting birdies. Webb Simpson takes on a 15-footer, and cannot take his birdie chance. Cink takes his shot for birdie in a half-hearted fashion, and must settle for par.
Cink has the honour and deadens his shot to the green, though it is doubtful whether he meant that one. “I love that,” he says. Simpson takes an eight-iron, and lands on a ridge on the green. Now for Tiger, dropping to a nine-iron as he draws his shot over the water feature. And it is another beauty! It is within inches of the hole, just over a foot. The man is back.
John McEnerney tweets in: “Nice to see The Burly Bearded one from Offaly, Shane Lowry, in the mix heading into Moving Day! Was close a couple of years ago in the US Open so he shouldn’t be fazed by the occasion!”
As a burly, bearded one, I concur.
Tiger takes to the tee on the second. He carries his drive over the water and fully 244 yards with his iron. Webb Simpson does much the same with a little less gas, but Cink drifts his shot into the daisies. He may well have a difficult lie to play out of.
Here’s Tiger with that birdie putt. He deliberates, weighs up the angles as he crouches in the style of André Villas-Boas, and sinks it with a beautiful smooth putt. No questions asked. He goes to -5 and punches the air with no little delight. Stewart Cink attempts the same but comes up short. He takes par, as does Webb Simpson. Tiger is roared to the next tee. Rowdy out there in the crowd.
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Thanks, Scott. It is I, John Brewin. Email me at john.brewin.casual@theguardian.com or tweet @johnbrewin_. I can also confirm that the 11 Sports studio does resemble Oz Cabs on Albert Square.
Lucky viewers in the UK have just had their first glimpse inside the 11 Sports studio. The look the latest entrant into British sports broadcasting has gone for is Eighties Taxi Rank. A small brown cabin with what appear to be several bits of A4 paper with their logo printed on, stuck on the walls in a random, slapdash style. Everyone’s got to start somewhere. Hey, at least they’re trying, and it’s not totally without glamour, because here comes Tiger Woods! He creams his drive down the middle of 1, and sends his second pin high to 12 feet. He’ll have a good look at birdie, and a fast start.
And it’ll be your good pal and mine, John Brewin, who tells you whether the great man makes the putt. I’m away for a bite to eat. See you soon.
JJ Spaun’s impressive major-championship debut continues apace. The 27-year-old from LA has some high finishes on the PGA Tour this season - at the RSM Classic, the AT&T Byron Nelson, and last week’s Barracuda Championship - and has taken that good form to Bellerive. Birdie at 3, and he’s up to -4 for the tournament. Meanwhile a birdie for Ian Poulter at 2; the 42-year-old Englishman followed up his opening-round 67 with a level-par 70, and he’s -4 overall as well.
Pepperell is out with Ryan Fox. The in-form Kiwi bothered the top of the leaderboard during the opening round, eventually carding a 68. He followed that up with 70, and an early birdie at 12 means he’s one of three players out there, along with Pepperell and Berger, under par for their rounds at this early stage. Meanwhile Rory repairs the damage of the opening hole with birdie at 2. He’s back to -3, and really needs to get some momentum going: all week it’s been a case of taking a step forward, then a step back.
Eddie Pepperell was one of the stars of the final round at Carnoustie: he came out of the pack with a 67 that for a while looked like getting him into a play-off. It wasn’t to be, but perhaps the 27-year-old from Oxford has the taste for major-championship golf now. A fine second-round 66 was completed earlier in the day, and now he’s creamed his second at 11 to a few feet, setting himself up for an early birdie. He’s -3.
A terrible start to Rory McIlroy’s third round. He sends his second through the back of the green, and fails to get up and down to scramble his par. The 2012 and 2014 champion must already be contemplating a fourth season in a row without a major title. He’s certainly not making life easy for himself. He’s -2
From a field of 156, we’re left with 80 players. The better-placed players have earned the right to tee off at 1 and play the course in sequence; the other half of the survivors will make their way out from 10. And the third round has started at last: some very early movement thanks to Daniel Berger, who birdies 1 to rise to -3, and Rafa Cabrera Bello, who bogeys 10 to drop to -1. Thanks to this split start, and the desire to cram in the third round today, so Sunday can proceed as normal, it won’t be long before some of the big names are out and about.
The third-round tee times. Starting from 1 ...
11.15am (5.15pm BST): Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Andrew Landry, Chris Kirk
11.26am (5.26pm BST): Tyrrell Hatton, Thorbjørn Olesen, Daniel Berger
11.37am (5.37pm BST): Rory McIlroy, Ross Fisher, J.J. Spaun
11.48am (5.48pm BST): Ian Poulter, Yuta Ikeda, Keegan Bradley
11.59am (5.59pm BST): Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, Hideki Matsuyama
12.10pm (6.10pm BST): Matt Wallace, Jordan Spieth, Andrew Putnam
12.21pm (6.21pm BST): Tiger Woods, Webb Simpson, Stewart Cink
12.32pm (6.32pm BST): Emiliano Grillo, Justin Rose, Zach Johnson
12.43pm (6.43pm BST): Jason Kokrak, Jason Day, Julian Suri
12.54pm (6.54pm BST): Francesco Molinari, Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm
1.05pm (7.05pm BST): Pat Perez, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott
1.16pm (7.16pm BST): Thomas Pieters, Shane Lowry, Brandon Stone
1.27pm (7.27pm BST): Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel
1.38pm (7.38pm BST): Gary Woodland, Kevin Kisner, Brooks Koepka
... and starting from 10
11.20am (5.20pm BST): Eddie Pepperell, Ryan Fox, Rafa Cabrera Bello
11.31am (5.31pm BST): Branden Grace, Ollie Schniederjans, Sungjae Im
11.42am (5.42pm BST): Russell Henley, Tommy Fleetwood, Satoshi Kodaira
11.53am (5.53pm BST): Marc Leishman, Brice Garnett, Kevin Na
12.04pm (6.04pm BST): Chez Reavie, Russell Knox, Joaquin Niemann
12.15pm (6.15pm BST): Chris Stroud, Austin Cook, Brandt Snedeker
12.26pm (6.26pm BST): Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore, Kevin Chappell
12.37pm (6.37pm BST): Nick Watney, Ted Potter, Jr., Adrian Otaegui
12.48pm (6.48pm BST): Seungsu Han, Ben Kern, Scott Brown
12.59pm (6.59pm BST): Jim Furyk, Tony Finau, Martin Kaymer
1.10pm (7.10pm BST): Byeong Hun An, Brian Harman, Vijay Singh
1.21pm (7.21pm BST): Cameron Smith, Dylan Frittelli, Jhonattan Vegas
1.32pm (7.32pm BST): Charles Howell III, Brian Gay
So the cut line fell at level par; everyone over par is on their way home. That means we’re saying goodbye to some big names: Matt Kuchar, Sergio Garcia, Davis Love III, Padraig Harrington, Bryson DeChambeau, Alex Noren, Shaun Micheel, Matthew Fitzpatrick, John Daly, Patrick Reed, Charley Hoffman, Rich Beem, Shubhankar Sharma, Jason Dufner, Danny Willett, Phil Mickelson, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, YE Yang, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey and Si Woo Kim. There are five Masters champions, eight PGA champions and three Open champions among that lot.
This report now goes into a state of suspended animation. We’ll be back with information on third-round tee times, once they’ve made the cut and sorted out the groupings. Meanwhile here’s how the top of the leader board looks at the halfway stage ...
-10: Woodland
-9: Kisner
-8: Koepka, Fowler
-7: D Johnson, Schwartzel, Pieters, Lowry
-6: Stone, Perez, Thomas
-5: Scott, Molinari, Cantlay, Rahm, Kokrak, Suri
-4: Rose, Z Johnson, Woods, Simpson, Cink
... and here’s an exercise in compare and contrast to fill the time while you’re waiting. A shame Lefty won’t be making the cut after shooting 73-71. See you soon!
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Cink bogeys the last, unable to get up and down from the rough to the right of the green. That’s a 69, and he drops back to -4. There are a few stragglers left out there, but nobody that’ll bother the upper echelons of the leaderboard. So our minds turn to round three.
It was a fairly uneventful morning for the 2015 champion Jason Day. Birdies at the two par fives, 8 and 17, and a bogey at the par-three 16th. He signs for a 68 and is well set when the weekend’s proper action begins. Meanwhile Webb Simpson is also in with a 68: he’s -4 at the halfway mark.
Stewart Cink has done absolutely nothing in the majors since stealing Christmas at Turnberry in 2009. But the 45-year-old from Alabama is enjoying an Indian summer, having tied for 24th at Carnoustie last month. He’s just parred 17; another down the last and he’ll be putting his name to a 68. He’s currently -5 and in a tie for 12th at the halfway mark.
Tiger’s latest monster putt is a mere 87 feet and ten inches. That’s practically a tap-in compared to his effort on 12. He’s got to give it a good rap, and sends it six feet left of the cup. That’s pretty much the same spot Rory pitched his third. McIlroy tidies up and signs for a 67: at -3 he’s seven behind at the halfway stage. Tiger makes his par putt too; that’s a 66 and he’s -4. And finally JT, who leaves his 50-footer five feet short but makes it three pars out of three. He’s shot 65, having come back in 31 strokes. Six birdies today: the defending champion is hot. He’s -6.
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Tiger’s got a good lie, on grass trodden down by the gallery. He’s able to whip his ball onto the green, though he’s left himself another monster two-putt. The last one didn’t end well. JT finds the heart of the green with his second, albeit not really in birdie range either. And finally Rory, whose route to the green is blocked by overhanging branches. He punches a low chaser under them, bumping his ball between the two bunkers guarding the right of the green, past the flag, and landing in the rough over the back. That’s a good result from where he was, because that drive was wild.
So having said that, Rory and Tiger flay their drives at 18 deep into the gallery down the right. And JT whistles his into the rough on the left. Meanwhile 2009 Open dreamwrecker champion Stewart Cink birdies 15 to move to -5.
Justin Thomas can’t quite reach the par-five 17th in two. He’s just off the front ... and leaves his chip up well short. He’ll have a 12-foot look at birdie, but that’s far from ideal, and he flings his club down in frustration. No matter! He confidently rolls the birdie putt into the cup, his fourth in seven holes! He’s -6. Tiger’s on in two, and he’s got a 40-footer for eagle. He doesn’t give the right-to-left slider enough on the high side, but he taps in for a birdie that moves him to -4. Rory’s just off the back, on the fringe, looking at a snaky 30-footer for eagle. He sets it on a perfect line, but doesn’t quite hit it. Birdie will do, though, and he’s -3 now. This marquee group have been on it this morning. They’ve given themselves a real chance going into the weekend proper.
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Pat Perez finishes strongly with birdies at 17 and 18. That’s his second 67 of the week, and at -6 he’ll be going out in one of the final groups of three later this afternoon. The in-form Webb Simpson is going well: birdie at 14 takes the reigning Players champion to -4. Meanwhile JJ Spaun - making his major-championship debut after finishing high at the RSM Classic, the AT&T Byron Nelson, and last week’s Barracuda Championship - went out in 32 and is parring his way back home: he’s -4 too.
Rickie Fowler pars the last to sign for a 67. That goes with his opening-day 65, and he’s well set for Moving Day. Is this finally the moment for golf’s eternal bridesmaid? A birdie for Shane Lowry at 9, and the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone winner signs for a flawless 64! He’s right in the mix too! Meanwhile pars all round for the marquee group at 16.
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F), Fowler (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F), Lowry (F)
-6: Stone (F)
Tony Finau is in with a 66 that featured just four pars. He finished the round in the appropriate fashion: birdie-birdie-bogey. He’s level par, just above the cut line right now. Fans of rollercoaster entertainment will be hoping and praying that he survives for the weekend proper.
Rory clips a wedge delicately to 12 inches. He looks disappointed, having hoped to hole it for another chip-in birdie, but the ball kicked a little left as it landed. Par from there at least maintains his position at -2; he didn’t want to be giving a shot straight back after the thrill of that amazing flop on the previous hole. Par for Tiger as well - he remains at -3 - but JT makes his birdie and suddenly the defending champion is making ground on the leaders at -5.
A couple of steady shots down the middle of the long par-five 17th by Rickie Fowler. Then a short iron from 130 yards to three feet. In goes the birdie putt, and he’s back to -8. Hideki Matsuyama’s back on track: birdie at the par-five 17th returns him to -5. Billy Horschel continues to slip: bogey at 6 and he’s -3 now. And on 15, Rory can go for the green, but sends his second into the thick cabbage lining the dancefloor on the right. Thomas clips his approach to four feet, and will be expecting another birdie from there.
JT birdied 14 too. But that was a nice, simple, wedge-it-close-and-walk-it-in affair. He’s -4. Tiger pars. The ground is still shaking from the wild reaction to that preposterous McIlroy birdie. Perhaps the man himself is too, because he pulls his drive at 15 into sand down the left. Not sure if he’s far enough back from the face to go for the green. We’ll see soon enough. Meanwhile a couple of backward moves. Hideki Matsuyama drops a stroke at 15; Pat Perez, in the following group, bogeys it as well. They slip to -4.
This is outrageous! Rory McIlroy whistles his second through the back of 14. That’s a dreadful mistake from prime position in the middle of the fairway. He’s flown that into the gallery! His ball is snagged, there’s a huge bank in front of him, and there’s not much green to play with. It’ll be some up-and-down to save his par. So what does he do? Of course he does. He takes a Mickelsonesque full swing with an open face, lobbing the ball high and landing it softly on the green, eight feet in front of the cup, whereupon it gently releases and politely rolls into the cup! Birdie! That is a quite magnificent chip. Such delicate artistry! You can consider that a two-shot swing, because bogey was staring Rory in the face there. He’s now -2, and suddenly the sun shines a lot brighter. Could that be the moment that sparks a title tilt?
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Shane Lowry has done nothing in the majors since leading the 2016 US Open after three rounds. But he seems of a mind to change that this week. He’s just stiffed his second at the par-four 7th from 100 yards to 18 inches! That just needs toe-punting into the hole. It’s his fifth birdie of a flawless round, and he’s -6. This is a serious challenge now!
Rory, at -1, is hovering just a couple of shots above the cut line. Right now, everyone over par is going home. Evens are not certain of making it yet. His heart’s in his mouth as he goes for the flag at the par-three 13th, but looks to have found the deep bunker guarding front right. If he’s plugged in that, he’s in trouble, because there’s not much green to play with. This is what did for Rickie Fowler earlier. But his ball’s snagged on the bank, and he’s able to chip close to save his par. Phew. But holes are running out, and he’s currently nine off the lead. Nothing’s insurmountable yet, but he’s got to start making birdies soon, and he doesn’t look in a particularly upbeat mood. Frustration has taken over: right now, it looks like his major-championship drought is set to continue for another year. Pars for JT and Tiger too.
It would have been too good to be true. Nevertheless, Tiger lags up brilliantly to four feet. The longest putt he’d sunk this season was 43 feet; the longest putt made on Tour this year was a Jordan Spieth 90-footer. So I probably got a bit over-excited there. Still, what’s the point of sport if you don’t? Anyway, he’s surely saved his par ... but then misreads the short putt, lining up expecting some left-to-right break. He hits the putt true, and it stays out left. Bogey, and he’s back to -3. Pars for JT and Rory.
Tiger finds the 12th green in regulation. Only problem is, his ball has just crept onto the front right, and the pin’s back left. He’s left with a putt measuring 101 feet and seven inches! Now here’s the thing: when Nick Price won the PGA here in 1992, he sunk a birdie putt at 12 on Saturday from 105 feet. Just sayin’. Imagine if he rakes this one into the cup! Bellerive will spin off into space.
Maybe a Matsuyama birdie charge is on! He picks up his second stroke of the morning with birdie at 14, sending his second from 170 yards to six feet. He’s -5. Time for one of these ...
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F), Fowler (14)
-6: Stone (F)
-5: Scott (F), Molinari (F), Cantlay (F), Rahm (F), Kokrak (F), Lowry (14*), Matsuyama (14), Perez (13), Day (12)
-4: Grillo (F), Rose (F), Z Johnson (F), Horschel (14*), Woods (11), Cink (9), Spaun (8*), Suri (8)
Tiger’s going to make bounce-back birdie at the short par-four 11th. He lays up, then nearly spins his wedge into the cup from 88 yards. He’ll tap in to move to -4. JT attempts to drive the green, but ends up in the swale to the left of the putting surface. He clips his wedge close and cleans up for birdie as well. He’s -3. And finally Rory, who like Tiger lays up and wedges in. He leaves himself pin high, with a ten-footer across the green. He changes his mind on line at the last minute, the confidence visibly draining from his face as he adjusts his cap and consults his chart. Wrong decision: his birdie putt slides past the hole on the left. He’s -1. His putting has arguably cost him the Masters and the Open this year: think the momentum-buggering eagle miss at 2 on Sunday at Augusta, and the series of short ones that didn’t drop at Carnoustie. The rest of his game’s in good nick. This is becoming a big problem.
Rickie drops his first shot since the opening hole of his round. He finds the sand front right of the par-three 13th, and with not much green to work with, can’t get close with his splash out. Two putts and he’s back where he started this morning at -7. Meanwhile Hideki Matsuyama, searching for that elusive maiden major, birdies 11 to move to -4. He’s a streaky putter, so if his flat stick is hot today, the extra bunch of holes will give him a chance to launch another challenge for this title. He came close last year, but never really turned up for the final round. It’d be fun to see him embark on one of his birdie tear-ups.
Tiger takes a needless step backwards, missing a short par putt on 10 to slip to -3. He looks accordingly sick. The defending champ JT isn’t much happier after missing a birdie chance from 12 feet. He stays at -2. Par for Rory: he’s -1.
You may remember Tony Finau’s fine front nine yesterday. The big hitter from Utah started out with five straight birdies, then made triple bogey at 6, birdies at 7 and 8, and a bogey at 9. Not a single par as he went out in 32. Imagine our disappointment when he made par at 10, with a 15-foot putt that looked like missing for a while as well. Anyway, since then, he’s birdied 11 and dropped one at 14. He’s +1, and currently missing the cut by a stroke. “Finau will still have to go some to earn a comparison with Sporting Gijón’s 2008/9 season,” writes Justin Horton. “They managed only one draw, and that as late as the 34th of their 38 games.” I’ve just taken a look at that link, and that draw was the result of their letting in a last-minute equaliser! What a way for the record to go. I can’t work out whether that’s appropriately spectacular or a real anti-climax.
Rickie keeps his momentum going with a street-fighting par on 12. Facing an up-and-down from a bunker 30 yards from the green, he sends his third to 12 feet and knocks in the missable par saver. He stays at -8; those can be as good as a birdie.
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There’s morning glory for Shane Lowry as well: the 2016 US Open runner-up birdies 3 to move to -5. Jason Day is heading the right way, too, after birdie at 9: he’s -5. But bogey for Billy Horschel at 2: the erstwhile FedEx Cup champ slips back to -4. An awful lot going on already! This is like a Moving Day bonus track.
Pars for Tiger and Rory at 9 in the marquee group, but a bogey for JT. That means Tiger’s hit the turn in 31 strokes. He’s wearing the same gameface he had on yesterday, walking with the same determined strut. If he can keep this going, we could be in for quite a weekend. But he wasn’t the only player running hot last night: Rickie Fowler was on a roll. And he’s started as he finished last night, making birdie at 11 after sending a wedge to four feet from 100 yards. He’s -8, a couple off the lead.
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Eddie Pepperell was going along very nicely last night. Having started out at 10, he was -4 for his round having just birdied 3. But this morning starts with bogey at 4. He’s -1 for the championship overall. Maybe he should have had some pints for breakfast; his final-day 67 at the Open last month, which earned him a top-ten place, was famously shot with a raging hangover. That’s Dr Golf’s assessment, anyway.
Rory’s blood runs cold as he takes a 3-wood off the tee at 9, sends it into the rough to the right of the fairway, then has trouble finding it. Tiger comes over to help. A few furrowed brows. But eventually he locates the little dappled orb. He’s waiting for a ruling; perhaps someone trod on it during the search. While he’s faffing around, Tiger and JT find the green in regulation, though neither are particularly close. Ah, it seems the ball was plugged, and the embedded rule is in play, so he gets a free drop. That’s quite a break. And he takes advantage by sending his second pin high. He’ll have a 20-foot look at birdie.
The marquee group of McIlroy, Woods and Thomas were coming down the par-five 8th when the klaxon went. McIlroy had been on a frustrating run of pars, and has clearly come out this morning with a plan to attack a course that should be receptive after the big drink it had yesterday. He lashes his second into a greenside bunker, but screeches his third to a couple of feet. That’s his first birdie of the round, and at long last he’s in red numbers: -1. He’ll need a few more if he’s to get seriously involved. Especially as Tiger picks up where he left off: he makes his fourth birdie of the round to rise to -4. And the defending champion JT makes it a full house of birdies in this group: a long eagle putt drifts by, but he tidies up to move to -3.
And we’re off again! When the weather hooter went yesterday evening, Rickie Fowler had just birdied 10 after stiffing an iron to five feet. So this is how the top of the leader board looks as we restart.
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F), Fowler (10)
-6: Stone (F)
-5: Scott (F), Molinari (F), Cantlay (F), Rahm (F), Kokrak (F), Horschel (10*), Perez (9)
-4: Grillo (F), Rose (F), Z Johnson (F), Lowry (10*), Ikeda (9*), Day (8), Cink (6)
Welcome to Moving Day! Although we’ll be waiting a while for the trademark manoeuvres of the third round ... because the second round is yet to be completed. The likes of Rickie, Tiger, JT and Rory were left hanging last night as a storm broke out over Bellerive, and play was suspended for the day. So here we all are.
The players will be back out in place at 7am in St Louis, 1pm in the UK, ready to continue their second rounds when the klaxon sounds. Then the third round will be played in groups of three, with a split-tee start, beginning approximately 30 minutes after the end of the second round. The PGA approximate that the third-round tee times will be between 11.15am and 1.15pm (5.15pm and 7.15pm UK time). But let’s not get hung up on details yet. One thing at a time. It promises to be a long one ... but a good one. Call Dr Golf for extra towels! It’s on!
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