USPGA Day 3: Day leads the way

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

THIS is as good as it gets and, at the end of it all, Jason Day leads the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits by two shots after a third round of 66. He is 15 under par and guess who is the Australian's closest challenger? Yup, you've got it. That man is Jordan Spieth, who came home in 30 shots, firing a stunning 65.

Justin Rose, of England, and Branden Grace, of South Africa, are 12 under, with Martin Kaymer a further shot adrift. What a final round we are in for today on the banks of Lake Michigan.

They call it moving day and for a while it appeared that Rory McIlroy was about to make a huge move in the right direction. He started the day at two under par, nine shots behind Matt Jones, the halfway leader, and insisted that he could still make a successful defence if he could put a low score together.

After just five holes he had progressed to six under thanks to two birdies and an eagle. Maybe it wasn't all just talk after all. But the Northern Irishman had a bogey at the sixth and another at the ninth. He reached the turn in 34 and was four under par. And as he was struggling, Spieth was beginning his third round by holing yet another outrageous birdie putt at the opening hole to narrow the gap on Jones to four.

On another perfect day for low scoring, Boo Weekley fired a 65 that moved him to six under, one ahead of Phil Mickelson, whose extraordinary round of 66 included nine birdies - the most he has ever managed in a single round in any major. At five under, Lefty knew that he was probably too far back, unless he could eliminate the mistakes in the final round today.

Next to make his move was the South African, Charl Schwartzel. The former Masters champion birdied the fourth, fifth, ninth, 10th and 11th holes to progress to seven under. But the biggest surprise, for American fans at least, was the name of Anirban Lahiri on the leaderboard. Make no mistake, the Indian golfer is the real deal.He has performed superbly on the European Tour this season, and won the long drive competition at Whistling Straits before the tournament began. He started the day on seven under and promptly birdied his first two holes. The only surprise would be if he were to fail to maintain his challenge.

As is the way of things, Dustin Johnson made progress with a birdie at the second, only to start heading in the opposite direction after almost finding Lake Michigan at the par-three third. If you ever need to ask for the definition of the word "rollercoaster", Johnson is the man to ask. Remarkably, he finished the third round on 10 under.

Rose, on the other hand, birdied the first to move to nine under par. Jones and Day both birdied the first but Jones found himself three in front when Day took six on the par-five second. At this point, not a single player among the top 45 was over par for the day.

Next into the frame was Grace, the excellent South African, courtesy of birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th, which moved him to 10 under, alongside Tony Finau and Day,who birdied the sixth. Rose's progress was halted with a double-bogey at the fourth, but he came straight back with a birdie at the next. Much has been made of Finau's prodigious length, but he also possesses a mean short game.

McIlroy finished with a 68 - a good round, but not what he had in mind. However, the signs are good. He had no problems with his ankle.

Jones dropped a shot at the ninth - only his second of the week - after a wild drive that finished in a hospitality unit, from where he hit his second shot. He was 12 under and had a host of players on his tail. Grace, Finau, Day and a resurgent Kaymer were on 11 under, with Rose and Day on 10 under. Kaymer caught fire on the back nine, with birdies at the 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 17th. Remember that he won this title when it was last played here in 2010. When Finau birdied the 11th, Jones had company at 12 under.

Kaymer and Grace were playing together. At the 18th, Grace holed a bunker shot for a birdie, a round of 64 and a 12-under total of 204. Kaymer parred the hole, his 65 seeing him finish on 11 under. Before anybody could draw breath, Day had eagled the 12th and taken the lead at 14 under.

All over this incredible golf course, iron shots were peppering flags and unlikely putts were dropping. This is what it should be like in the third round of a major! For the record, going into the fourth round, Spieth is 52 under par in this year's majors. Victory today will give him his third major win of the year.

Image Credit: Twitter @Ladbrokes