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Bernd Wiesberger has emerged as a threat to Rory McIlroy going into the final round of the USPGA Championship at Valhalla.
The 28-year-old from Vienna has only played in four majors, his best finish a tie for 64th in the British Open last year, but failing to make the cut in the other three.
Today he played out of his skin, and late in the third round was sharing the lead at 12-under with the world number one, only to lose the top spot to McIlroy’s last hole birdie.
Despite seeing a lot of Valhalla he’s never seen before, Australian Jason Day can still win his first major.
Day started the third round one shot shy of McIlroy, and will tee off three shots behind in tomorrows final round.
Saturday is always moving day, and there were any number of movements with McIlroy the benchmark, but joined at various stages in the lead by Day, Jim Furyk, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Palmer, and Wiesberger.
Early in round three there were 17 golfers within three shots of the lead. Late in the day 21 within four..
But Day is the story from the Australian point of view. Had he repeated his second round heroics the Australian would be some five or six shots in front. But he had to tough it out, no better example than the second hole.
Day duck-hooked his tee shot into swampland, had to remove his shoes and socks, roll up his trousers above the knees, splash out his second shot across the fairway into rough, made his approach to within 12 feet, and sunk the punt for a miracle par.
There were other moments when Day shaved the hole with birdie putts, and other moments when he was hacking his way out of deep trouble.
But to his credit he hung in there and will be a frontline contender tomorrow, even though he’s three shots off the pace.
Having said that Rory McIlroy will be the one to beat, he too had an off-day by his lofty standards in round three.
He went out in 1-under, but came home strongly with four birdies, and a bogey, in his 67 to regain the outright lead.
The leaderboard:
13-under – Rory McIlroy
12-under – Bernd Wiesberger
11-under – Rickie Fowler
10-under – Phil Mickelson
9-under – Jason Day, Henrik Stenson, Mikko Ilonen, Ryan Palmer, and Louis Oosthuizen
Of the Australian’s Adam Scott is the next best chance after his unblemished 66 with five birdies to be 7-under.
Scott has improved every round with 71, 69, 66, and is quite capable of a 62-63 that would make it interesting.
Of the other three Australians who made the cut – Geoff Ogilvy and Matt Jones are 2-under, Marc Leishman 1-over, but all three are too far away to be a nuisance.
But I can’t see anyone getting the better of Rory McIlroy. If the huge number of spectators had their way, Phil Mickelson would be the pick. And that wouldn’t surprise anyone.