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Micheel tied with Campbell at the top after third round
Rochester, Aug 17: Shaun Micheel and Chad Campbell sit at the top of leaderboard at minus-4 after Saturday afternoon`s third round of the 85th PGA Championship
Rochester, Aug 17: Shaun Micheel and Chad Campbell sit at the top of leaderboard at minus-4 after Saturday afternoon's third round of the 85th PGA Championship
Shaun Micheel fell back into a tie for the U.S. PGA Championship third-round lead on Saturday as Tiger Woods's hopes of clinching at least one major for the fifth consecutive year all but disappeared.
American journeyman Micheel, two ahead of the field overnight, held his nerve for most of the day with some pin-point approach play before bogeying his last three holes for a one-under-par 69.
That left him in a share of the lead at four-under 206 with compatriot Chad Campbell, who holed a 30-foot birdie putt at the last for a best-of-the-week 65.
U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir, chasing his second major of the year, was a further three strokes back in third, after returning a level-par 70, while South African Tim Clark was alone in fourth on 210 after a two-under 68.
The 34-year-old Micheel, playing in only his third major championship, might have been expected to slide down the leaderboard on day three after he ran up a bogey-five at the 460-yard first.
But, with conditions a little more receptive at a damp and overcast Oak Hill Country Club, he bounced back with three consecutive birdies from the seventh, holing putts from 10, six and 25 feet. Superb iron-play set up further birdies at the 372-yard 12th and the 181-yard 15th and, despite dropped shots on 16, 17 and at the last, he was still at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the day.
World number two Ernie Els, last year's British Open champion, was among a group of four players at one over, after mixing three birdies with three dropped shots on his way to a level-par 70.
For world number one Woods, however, the third round was one of continuing frustration. He began an overcast and damp day at Oak Hill nine off the lead, but battled for accuracy off the tee on his way to a three-over-par 73, only partially offsetting five bogeys with two late birdies.
Although he switched back this week to his trusty 1997 Titleist driver in a bid for greater control, he hit only four of 14 fairways on the day. He also reached just six greens in regulation.
That left him in an early share of 49th at nine-over 219, and 12 behind Micheel, at that point yet to begin his round. The 27-year-old Woods had been chasing his ninth career major this week, and his first since last year's U.S. Open. However, that bid will have to wait, with the American now in danger of producing his worst finish at a major since turning professional in 1996.
Although he has made every cut in the 27 majors he has played as a pro, his worst finish has twice been a tie for 29th, in the U.S. PGA Championship at Winged Foot in 1997 and again at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001.
Twice winner Woods, who collected just two birdies in his opening two rounds, dropped shots at one and two, on both occasions missing the fairway off the tee. He then ran up his third bogey at the 461-yard seventh, pulling his three-wood drive into the left rough and then hitting his second into even thicker rough left and well short of the green.
Although he found the fairway off the tee for the first time at the 452-yard ninth, his approach cruelly trickled back off the front of the green to the slope below, from where he was unable to save par.
Out in four-over 39, he then opted to use a long iron off the tee whenever possible with limited success, but had to sink clutch putts from eight and 12 feet on 12 and 13 for par.
He finally collected his first birdie of the day, sinking a 12-foot putt at the 323-yard 14th, before adding a second at the par-three 15th, but ended his round with a bogey-five at the last, once again missing the fairway off the tee.
Bureau Report
The 34-year-old Micheel, playing in only his third major championship, might have been expected to slide down the leaderboard on day three after he ran up a bogey-five at the 460-yard first.
But, with conditions a little more receptive at a damp and overcast Oak Hill Country Club, he bounced back with three consecutive birdies from the seventh, holing putts from 10, six and 25 feet. Superb iron-play set up further birdies at the 372-yard 12th and the 181-yard 15th and, despite dropped shots on 16, 17 and at the last, he was still at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the day.
World number two Ernie Els, last year's British Open champion, was among a group of four players at one over, after mixing three birdies with three dropped shots on his way to a level-par 70.
For world number one Woods, however, the third round was one of continuing frustration. He began an overcast and damp day at Oak Hill nine off the lead, but battled for accuracy off the tee on his way to a three-over-par 73, only partially offsetting five bogeys with two late birdies.
Although he switched back this week to his trusty 1997 Titleist driver in a bid for greater control, he hit only four of 14 fairways on the day. He also reached just six greens in regulation.
That left him in an early share of 49th at nine-over 219, and 12 behind Micheel, at that point yet to begin his round. The 27-year-old Woods had been chasing his ninth career major this week, and his first since last year's U.S. Open. However, that bid will have to wait, with the American now in danger of producing his worst finish at a major since turning professional in 1996.
Although he has made every cut in the 27 majors he has played as a pro, his worst finish has twice been a tie for 29th, in the U.S. PGA Championship at Winged Foot in 1997 and again at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001.
Twice winner Woods, who collected just two birdies in his opening two rounds, dropped shots at one and two, on both occasions missing the fairway off the tee. He then ran up his third bogey at the 461-yard seventh, pulling his three-wood drive into the left rough and then hitting his second into even thicker rough left and well short of the green.
Although he found the fairway off the tee for the first time at the 452-yard ninth, his approach cruelly trickled back off the front of the green to the slope below, from where he was unable to save par.
Out in four-over 39, he then opted to use a long iron off the tee whenever possible with limited success, but had to sink clutch putts from eight and 12 feet on 12 and 13 for par.
He finally collected his first birdie of the day, sinking a 12-foot putt at the 323-yard 14th, before adding a second at the par-three 15th, but ended his round with a bogey-five at the last, once again missing the fairway off the tee.
Bureau Report