First round co-leader Jim Furyk got some clutch putts to go in at the end, and finished shooting two-under 68 on Saturday to get to nine-under total and lead by one over 36-hole leader Jason Dufner. He started the day sharing second-place two shots behind Dufner, but hit the front at the 10th and dueled with Dufner down the back nine on a sunny, breezy day at Oak Hill.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (one-under 69) and Jonas Blixt (four-under 66) follow in third and fourth at seven-under and six-under respectively. Blixt’s bogey-free 66 was the co-second lowest round of the day along with American Kevin Streelman.
The lowest round of the day belonged to American Dustin Johnson who climbed 51 spots with a five-under 65 to finish at two under, Streelman rose 41 places with his 66 to join him and fellow countryman Roberto Castro sharing ninth place.
American Steve Stricker (even-par 70) and Australian Adam Scott (two-over 72) share fifth place at five-under. It’s one back to Rory McIlroy (three-under 67) and Lee Westwood (two-under 68) who share seventh at three-under.
Furyk’s round started going backwards with bogeys on the second and third hole, falling to four shots behind Dufner and looking like his tournament was done. But he rebounded nicely with a birdie on the Par-5 fourth to get one of the two shots back.
Dufner would open the door with a double-bogey on the Par-4 fifth to drop to seven-under, just one shot in front of Furyk. He would birdie the Par-4 seventh but after his bogey on the Par-4 eight he would be tied for the lead at seven-under with Furyk who had birdied the eight playing on the group ahead.
After they made the turn, Furyk would take the lead with a birdie on the Par-4 10th, but it will be short lived as Dufner would reply with a birdie of his own. Dufner would par the remaining holes and remain at eight-under for the tournament.
Furyk took the lead with another birdie on the Par-12th to get to nine-under but relinquished it after a bogey on the Par-3 15th. But he would take the lead for good with a 12-foot putt for just the seventh birdie of the day on the tough 17th hole, and then saved par with a 10-footer on 18 after popping up a 3-wood.
“A nice way to finish the day. I haven’t let too much bother me this week,” Furyk said. “There’s a crowded leaderboard so you go out there, fire a good number and try to stay ahead.”
The stage is set for a duel between Furyk and Dufner on Sunday for a chance to win the year’s last Major. But if we go by the trend this year, Furyk is in an unwanted place; the 54-hole leader has not won any of the previous three majors this year. As a matter of fact, only four 54-hole leaders in the last 19 majors have gone on to win (Mc Ilroy 2012 PGA and 2011 U.S. Open, Darren Clarke 2011 Open and Louis Oosthuizen 2010 Open).
Furyk does have converted one of two 54-hole leads in majors (Won/2003 U.S. Open, T4/2012 U.S. Open). He would like to emulate the first one on Sunday.
The 36-year-old Dufner, who shot a course-record 63 on Friday, is chasing a first major title after blowing a five-shot lead and losing in a play-off to Keegan Bradley on the 2011 edition of this tournament.
Besides the major win, for Dufner, the Presidents Cup is a subject that could come to his mind. He is currently No. 13 in the Presidents Cup standings. The top 10 U.S. players in the Presidents Cup standings through September 2, 2013 (Deutsche Bank Championship) will automatically qualify. In addition, two Captain's Picks will be made on September 4, 2013.
Sweden has never produced a major championship winner. But the Scandinavian country has the resurgent Stenson, 37, who was second behind Mickelson at the Open and second behind Woods at the WGC event on Sunday, and 29-year-old Blixt, playing in his first US PGA, bidding to become the first Swedish man to win a major.
Stricker and 2013 Masters Champion Scott are also in striking position but will need some help to get the job done.
Scott slipped back today with his two over 72, mostly thanks to a double bogey at the Par-4 16. The 33-year-old Australian, who blew a four-shot lead with four to go at the Open in 2012, also led the Open at Muirfield late on before finishing T-3rd.
He is looking for his second career Major title and second this year. The only other time he recorded multiple wins on TOUR was in 2004 (The Players and Booz Allen Classic).
For Stricker, who will be 46 years, 5 months and 19 days on Sunday. He is looking to win his first Major title and at the same time, become the second oldest winner in major championship history, behind Julius Boros, who won the 1968 PGA Championship at the age of 48 years, 4 months and 18 days.
The Defending Champion McIlroy, the defending champion, who looked likely to miss his second straight cut in a major after 11 holes of Friday's second round, finished again with a flurry to get in contention. He climbed 21 places today to be in a T-7th although he is six shots from the leader Furyk
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The 24-year-old from Holywood was still level par for the tournament after 12 holes of his third round but birdied the 13th and then made the impressive birdie-birdie finish on the tough last two holes by holing from 50 feet for another birdie on the 17th before chipping in on the 18th.
"I probably made up at least three, three and a half shots on those last two holes," said McIlroy, who has struggled so far this season. "It's getting there. It was good to feel that sort of rush again."
Westwood who had an extremely disappointing three-over 73 Friday, was able to grind it out on Saturday as he mixed five birdies with three bogeys to make up 15 places. Like McIlroy, he will need a solid final round and some help from the players above him.
"My game has been great all week other than a poor finish yesterday, which you can't really afford to do in major championships, give shots away like that.” Westwood said. "I'm definitely hitting the ball better than I was at Muirfield. Obviously I didn't putt as well as I did at Muirfield this week, but another Sunday and another chance."
Breaking news, the awaited final pairing on Sunday between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will not happen. They are heading in the wrong direction on the leaderboard, somebody has to unblock the short term amnesia and remind them that going up, not down the leaderboard is the way to contend and win a title.
Mickelson had an eight-over 78 for an astonishing 10-over good for solo 74th
Coming off a seven-stroke victory at the Bridgestone, Woods turned in another mediocre round (three-over 73) that ensured another year without a major title. He was at 4-over 214 - a staggering 13 shots off the lead and T-48th. He will now go to 0-for-18 in the majors since his last win at the 2008 U.S. Open.
"Well," he said, "it was hard to me. I didn't play very well today. I didn't hit it very good, didn't make anything, kept blocking every putt. So it was a tough day."
Mickelson, who won at Muirfield just three weeks ago, was next-to-last among the 75 players making the cut after an ugly 78 left him at 10-over just ahead of Gary Woodland who is at 13-over. Lefty has been piling up the doubles and triples, he had a triple bogey at the seventh, then a double-bogey at the 14th when he chipped through the green twice before finally getting one to stick on the green.
Other players that went in the wrong direction, Matt Kuchar who struggled to a 76 and found himself a daunting eight shots behind, Robert Garrigus fell back with a 74 and U.S. Open Champ Justin Rose saw his chances of a second major title slip away with an ugly 77.
The stage is set for a tremendous finish on Sunday. At Oak Hill, with the tough 17 and 18 holes being the closing holes, no lead is safe, and anything can happen. Just make sure you are watching as history will once again be made.