Åberg, Rahm and Rai chasing history at Aronimink

With one of the most bunched leaderboards at a Major in years, there are dozens of players fighting on many fronts at the US PGA Championship.

It goes without saying that the most important prize on offer is the Wanamaker Trophy and the title of US PGA champion but there is also national pride at stake.

The first ever winner of the US PGA Championship was an Englishman by the name of 'Long' Jim Barnes - whose nickname referred to his height, not his length off the tee.

The man who played out of West Cornwall Golf Club - also the home club of current dual member Harry Hall - won the trophy in 1916 and made a successful defence in 1919 after the First World War.

But despite producing some of the world's best players in the more than a century since, England is yet to produce another US PGA champion.

"It's actually the first that I heard of that statistic a few minutes ago," said Aaron Rai who sits just two shots off the lead heading into the final 18 holes at Aronimink Golf Club. "I didn't realise that that was the case.

"Yeah, amazing. Amazing to be in this position. A lot of really good golf to be here.

"I also know there's such a long way to go. A lot of things can and will change tomorrow. So, yeah, amazing to be here, but trying not to get too far ahead of myself also."

Rai turned in 33 on Saturday with four birdies and two bogeys but back-to-back gains on the tenth and 11th catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard.

A poor tee shot and second on the last meant he dropped back to four under after a 67 but the two-time Rolex Series winner is relishing the chance to challenge for a Major.

"It's an extremely testing course, so I think it demands a lot of presence, a lot of patience, a lot of clarity," he said. "I'm trying my best to really stick in there and kind of take what comes.

"There's always an element of nervousness, and I feel that, but I've really enjoyed it over the last couple of days, especially over the last nine holes or so today. It's a great situation to be in. It's a great golf course to challenge myself on."

Jon Rahm already has two Major Championships and like Rai comes from a golfing powerhouse of a nation being a Spaniard.

Spain has enjoyed many magical moments at Augusta National - including a win for Rahm - while the great Seve Ballesteros is a multiple winner at The Open Championship.

Rahm's other Major came at the U.S. Open but so far, no Spaniard has ever won the US PGA Championship.

"What it would mean for Spain in the Grand Slam tally and being the last leg of the Grand Slam for us as well, there's a lot of things that would mean a lot, but too much of it is out of my control," said Rahm after a third-round 67 of his own.

Birdies on the first, fifth and ninth saw him turn in 32 and while he dropped a shot on the 11th, gains on the 14th and 16th had him in the lead before he dropped a shot on the last.

"It's an extremely difficult golf course," he said. "Today is probably the easiest set-up of the three, but still with the wind the way it's going and the greens right now, you have to play really good golf to give yourself a chance out there.

"So not surprised the scores are a little bit harder to accomplish in the afternoon, especially the later tee times.

"As far as me is concerned, that was a fantastic round of golf and thrilled to be in a good position for tomorrow."

Ludvig Åberg is looking to become just the second Swede to win a men's Major Championship and the first to win the US PGA Championship or a United States-based Major.

Henrik Stenson's Open Championship triumph in 2016 is the current high point for Swedish male golf and Åberg is relishng the chance to make some history of his own.

"It's fun," he said. "There's no denying that these tournaments are the big ones. These are the ones that we all want to win. When we do sit down and summarise a career, these are the ones that you want on your resume.

"I think going into tomorrow, it's just a really good opportunity for me. It's all about putting yourself in those situations to try to go win them. Obviously with a lot of guys within just a few shots, a lot of things can happen, but I also like this golf course in terms of the challenge with that discipline and patience.

"Depending on how they set it up tomorrow, I think it will be more of the same. I do like that kind of golf, and looking forward to tomorrow."

Åberg bogeyed the second but hit back with birdies on the fourth, sixth and ninth before bogeying the 12th and birdieing the 16th in a 68."

Out of the 107 US PGA Championships, 87 have been won by the home nation, with 20 international victories achieved by just 13 players.

Can any of these three make it 14?