Jason Day stood on the 18th tee of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this morning at 4-under, and well in contention.
By the time Day holed out eight shots later – a quadruple bogey – he was even par for the tournament and seven shots off the Kevin Kisner pace.
Day will forever regret his brain explosion after cutting the ears off his drive, and trying to play a miracle shot around the trees to get back in the frame.
The intelligent shot was to chip out to his left, but his third shot became unplayable on the way to carding a cricket score eight.
So Kisner takes a one-shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama and Chris Stroud who was the last qualifier for the PGA after winning his first USPGA tournament last week.
The Saturday of any tournament is universally known as the moving day, with Day proving that conclusively this morning.
But there were others like Bryson DeChambeau who shot 72 with two eagles and two doubles, plus two birdies and three bogeys.
Or Graham DeLaet’s incredible tee shot off the 14th tee on the driveable 14th par four.
The ball lipped the cup for an albatross. In 2001 at the TPC Scottsdale course, Andrew Magee, recorded the only albatross on the USGA tour.
Having birdied 13, then the eagles on 14, DeLaet eagled 15, and birdied 16 to be six under for four successive holes.
Or Adam Scott’s 76 that started with a four-putt double, and ended with a repeat – eight putts in two holes.
Kisner is the one to beat tomorrow as he was the only golfer today who for the first 15 holes drove straight, and hit every green in regulation.
Having got to 10-under, he dropped three shots over the demanding final three holes – very un-Kisner-like.
His real danger will be Matsuyama, who looms as the first golfer from Japan to win a major.
Today he was nowhere near his 61 last week to run away with the WGC-Bridgestone, nor his 64 yesterday.
He’s more capable of shooting low than any others in contention.
But there’s an omen lurking.
The three major champions this year – Sergio Garcia (Masters), Brooks Koepra (US Open), and Jordan Spieth (The Open) share another common denominator – they have six letters in their Christian name, and six in their surname.
That brings Justin Thomas, and Graham DeLaet into contention.
Worth more than a thought.
PGA Championship leaderboard after three rounds:
7-under – Kevin Kisner.
6-under – Chris Stroud, Hideki Matsuyama.
5-under – Justin Thomas, Louis Oosthuizen.
3-under – Grayson Murray.
2-under – Francesco Molinari, Graham DeLaet, Patrick Reed, Gary Woodland, Scott Brown.
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