Everything You Need To Know Heading Into The Final Round Of The PGA Championship

Mito Pereira leads the field by three shots going into the final round. A sentence not many analysts would have predicted, and a name that requires some serious research before writing. A young Chilean with no PGA Tour wins, Pereira is in his first-ever weekend round at a Major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Mito Pereira (@mito_pereira)

Former number 5 in the World Amateur Rankings, he has showcased his talents for years. A serious talent on the Korn Ferry Tour, he won plenty of events since turning pro in 2015, one of a handful of pros to receive the PGA Tour exemption for three wins in a calendar year.

Southern Hills is difficult, long, and the conditions are far from ideal. ‘Bryson golf’ dies out when the wind blows, and the shot shapers with a short game are given the opportunity to step up to the plate. The US Open usually has the expectation of playing difficult, but the PGA this year has taken its fair share of prisoners. And it’s refreshing to see.

Tiger Woods posts his highest career round at the PGA Championship with a 79.

He went -1 on his final 4 holes to break 80. pic.twitter.com/YhQsXuIWXd

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 21, 2022

Four-time PGA Champion Tiger Woods shot 79 today, yet will likely be given a standing ovation as he limps up to the 18^th green. He has superseded expectations by making his second cut in a major only a year after almost losing his leg.

Matt Fitzpatrick continues to embody the grinders game in golf, carving out low scores in brutal conditions while flying the flag for England. As Tyrell Hatton shoots his mouth off (again) about the course conditions, Fitzpatrick goes about his business, in pursuit of his debut major at Southern Hills. A birdie-birdie finish on Saturday meant three rounds in the sixties this week for Fitzpatrick, and a spot in the final pairing alongside Pereira.

Cameron Young has also stormed up the leader board with a Saturday 67, putting him at five-under for the tournament. A ball striker’s ball-striker, Young is an unsung hero for the 2021/22 season, he is 2^nd in Strokes Gained off the tee this season and 9^th in driving distance.

I’m all-in for @bubbawatson. #PGAChampionship2022 pic.twitter.com/MxZLs5Yn5d

— Mark Anderson 😷 (@skidmark) May 21, 2022

Speaking of ball striking, Bubba Watson has shown that his flamboyant style of golf is rewarded in a set-up like this. A long course with shot-shaping requirements, his Friday 63 was straight out of the top drawer, and he stuck around today to remain only a few off the pace.

Max Homa and Sam Burns have continued their solid 2021/22 seasons and currently sit T10 for the week. However, among the American names littering the leader board, there are a few players that are standing out from the rest of the world. Seamus Power continues his impressive season and sits in the top 10 going into Sunday. Abe Ancer lies in 5^th, another player succeeding on a long course, through accuracy and consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by PGA Championship (@pgachampionship)

Poor rounds on Saturday from Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas arguably pushed them out of contention. The two biggest names in the top 10 as of Friday, their Saturday rounds saw them fall foul to conditions, after a particularly poor putting performance from Rory on the front nine. Zalatoris led the tournament after a glittering Friday 65, but also went over par on Saturday and fell down to five-under, three shots behind Pereira.

A debut major champion beckons perhaps? Young, Pereira, and Zalatoris are queueing up to get their hands on the Wanamaker trophy, but how good would it be for their first PGA Tour win to be at a Major? The stuff of dreams. It would be a heroic story for Pereira, in his first weekend at a Major. Despite this, it would be great to see a grinder like Fitzpatrick win tomorrow, rewarding consistency and composure. Or maybe two-time major champion Bubba Watson will add another string to his bow?

Tomorrow promises all the drama we anticipate for a Major Sunday, with a high chance of a new name being etched into the trophy.

Cover Image Via BroBible