Everything you need to know from moving day at Kiawah Island.
Lefty moved to the brink of history, Louis was "all over the place", Alex was flawless and the crowds were immense on day three of the 2021 US PGA Championship.
Here is everything you need to know from Saturday on The Ocean Course.
Magic Mickelson rolls back the years
Julius Boros was 48 when he won this event in 1968. Phil Mickelson is 50 and should he convert his one shot 54 hole lead into a sixth Major Championship, he will be the oldest ever winner of one of golf's big four. It was getting towards being a forgone conclusion when he went five ahead after ten holes but the closing stretch at The Ocean Course is dangerous, and he ended the day at seven under, just one clear of Brooks Koepka. "I'm playing a lot better than the score is showing and I think if I can just stay sharp tomorrow, I'll post a score that better reflects how I'm actually playing," he said. If he gets better tomorrow, the rest of the field may have a problem.
Chasing history 📜
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 22, 2021
At 50 years old, @PhilMickelson has a chance to become the oldest Major winner in history.
With 18 holes to go, he leads the #PGAChamp by one. pic.twitter.com/Y6ugtd898A
Louis grinds it out
With just 12 players under par, a level par 72 is a very good score at Kiawah Island - unless you're Louis Oosthuizen. The South African made three birdies and three bogeys in round three to sit just two off the lead but he was not pleased with his performance. "I wouldn't call that solid play," he said. "That was probably the worst I've played in a while. Especially the first ten holes going along with Phil hitting it beautifully and playing great, I was all over the place." There are plenty of players who would happily take "all over the place" this week.
Bob setting sky high standards
Coming into this week, Robert MacIntyre had made the cut in all four of his Major appearances, finishing sixth on his debut at the 2019 Open Championship and in a tie for 12th at last month's Masters Tournament. He made the cut this week too, improving his score every day over the first three rounds on one of the toughest layouts in golf. So is he satisfied with this spectacular start to his Major career? "It’s good, but I’ve not challenged in one yet,” he said. “So, although I’m making cuts and picking up (world ranking) points, I feel like I’m miles off where I want to be. I want to be challenging on a Sunday and this weekend, I’m making up the numbers, it feels." Bob is shooting for the stars.
Flawless Noren
There were no bogey free rounds on days one and two - not a surprise on one of the toughest layouts in the game. But Alex Noren had a blemish free card on day three. Take a bow.
16 pars.
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 22, 2021
2 birdies.
Alex Noren is the first player to go bogey-free at Kiawah this week ✍️#PGAChamp | @Workday pic.twitter.com/MPt0z5alAj
Yet more rubbish
On day one, Sebastian Munoz put a tee shot into a bin.
Talk about a rubbish tee shot... 🗑😅 #PGAChamp
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 20, 2021
pic.twitter.com/epkJXjxp2Q
And on day three, MacIntyre was getting a nice bounce off one.
The bins are really getting involved this week.#PGAChamp https://t.co/sQVPOPVXQx
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 22, 2021
Talk about throwing away shots.
Spot the golfer
How good is it to have the crowds back? Hearing the roars and feeling the pressure is just what the professionals need. There were that many fans on the ninth, we could barely even see Joaquin Niemann.
Everybody wants to see Lefty
He may be 50 but Mickelson is still absolute box office.