Brooks Koepka leads by one shot going into the final round at Oak Hill
(EPA)
Brooks Koepka brings a one-shot lead into the final round as the LIV golfer targets a third US PGA Championship title at Oak Hill. The American was the star performer on Saturday with a four-under-par round of 66 to reach six-under for the tournament in wet conditions in Rochester, New York.
On a tough day to score Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners showed the type of consistency needed to win a major with both players recording even par round to keep them near the top of the leaderboard. Just one shot off the lead before the final round, they will lead the chasing pack which includes the USA’s Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and England’s Justin Rose (-2).
World number two Scottie Scheffler is also in the mix after an up-and-down day saw him drop back to two under but he’ll need to regain his form from the previous two rounds if he wants to challenge on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy remains in contention for a third US PGA but trails Koepka by five after a one-under-par 69 yesterday. The Northern Irishman will play alongside club pro Michael Block after the 46-year-old Californian fired his third successive round of 70 to remain at level par.
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Conners bounces back with birdie
Conners -5 (4), DeChambeau -3 (4)
We’ve not seen too much action from this par-five fourth as DeChambeau settles for a par but Conners does make a move courtesy of a beautiful wedge into the green. He taps in and bounces back straightaway after his bogey on the third.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 20:13
Koepka leads by three with another birdie
Koepka -8 (3), Hovland -5 (3)
Wow. In a blink of an eye, the four-time major champion leads by three. It’s a tee shot to just under five feet by the LIV Golf star and he makes no mistake.
Hovland’s tee shot comes up a bit shorter and he can’t make the lengthier effort – he’s got quite a task on his hands now to chase down Koepka if he keeps playing like this.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 20:04
Bogey for Conners
Conners -4 (3), DeChambeau -3 (3)
It’s been far from the usual ball-striking clinic so far from the Canadian as his tee shot finds the bunker. He can’t get up and down and he now drops a further shot off the pace. DeChambeau makes par to remain at three under.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 20:02
American trio into the red
Cantlay -1 (10), Kitayama -1 (8), Reed -1 (7)
Plenty of moves being made from those down the leaderboard. Reed goes to three under par for his round while Cantlay is up at four under par for the day. Kitayama is hanging around too and all three are in the top ten.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 20:00
Another bogey for McIlroy
McIlroy E (4), Block +1 (4)
Two bogeys in the opening fours holes is the last thing Rory would have wanted but that’s exactly what he’s produced. He races his birdie putt past the hole on the fourth and his par putt coming back lips out on the left side. Back to even par and now seven off the lead.
Block makes par to remain at one over.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:58
Koepka extends lead to two shots
Koepka -7 (2), Hovland -5 (2)
A lot of the final groups have taken aim at this pin on the second and Hovland and Koepka are no different.
Hovland goes first and it’s a similar putt to the one Scheffler missed…and so does Viktor. That’s a poor effort from him and the kind of putts you have to be making.
Koepka stuffs his to under five feet and he makes no mistake. The American makes the first move and he leads by two.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:56
Pars all round for Rose and Scheffler
Rose -3 (3), Scheffler -2 (3)
Nothing doing for either player with their birdie attempts on the par-three third and they remain at three and two under respectively.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:52
Great par save for Conners
Conners (-5), DeChambeau (-3)
The Canadian gets in some trouble off the tee but it’s a pin-perfect iron shot from the fairway to allow him to save par. DeChambeau gives his birdie effort a good roll but it just comes up short and he’ll have to settle for par.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:51
Good par save from Hovland
Koepka -6 (1), Hovland -5 (1)
Kopeka fires into the heart of the green but can’t make his birdie effort across the green.
Hovland was in bother off the tee but hacks out from the rough. He catches it hot out of the second cut and it flies through to the rough beyond the green but it’s a super touch from just off the putting surface to set up a par save. Those kinds of chips have often caused trouble for the Norwegian so that effort has to be a positive sign.
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:46
Perez into third
The Frenchman has hardly been on our TV screens this week but he sure will be now – four in a row to move into a tie for third! He uses the slopes of the green nicely to set up the birdie effort on the par three and makes no mistake. He’s aboard the tricky sixth with another look at birdie…
Ben Fleming21 May 2023 19:44