Brooks Koepka might’ve missed another chance to add his name to the PGA Championship record books but made a strong vow to the field behind him, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Already the holder of the 18, 36 and 72 hole scoring records at the Major, the World No 3 failed to shoot 67 on Saturday to add the 54-hole low scoring honour to his CV.
That matters little as he maintained his seven stroke lead.
Even better, is that it’s not Jordan Spieth or even Adam Scott (some way) behind him as the pair fell further adrift in round three.
Sure Dustin Johnson is there as one of four players but Koepka is unlikely to be threatened by the remaining players – Harold Varner III, Luke List and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond.
That leaves DJ. Although, after carding an outward 32 he showed signs of weakness with four bogeys on the way in. Koepka made three yesterday and has just five drops all event.
This one is an open and shut case.
‘I’m definitely not going to let up, I promise you that,’ vowed the leader.
‘I think I’m more focused than anybody out there. I think I’m tunnel-visioned.
‘I don’t know what my resting heart rate is, probably not far off that. It would probably be not far off what it is sitting on the couch vs. the first tee or the 18th green.
‘I’d say I’m pretty flatlined most of the time, as you can tell.’
Koepka is calm and five ahead. Good luck to the chasers …
Third round leaderboard (par 70):
198 – Brooks Koepka (USA) 63-65-70
205 – Harold Varner (USA) 71-67-67, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 70-68-67, Luke List (USA) 68-68-69, Dustin Johnson (USA) 69-67-69
206 – Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 70-68-68, Matt Wallace (ENG) 69-67-70
207 – Xander Schauffele (USA) 70-69-68, Patrick Cantlay (USA) 69-70-68, Adam Scott (AUS) 71-64-72, Jordan Spieth (USA) 69-66-72
208 – Erik Van Rooyen (RSA) 70-68-70, Kang Sung (KOR) 68-70-70
209 – Rickie Fowler (USA) 69-69-71, Danny Lee (NZL) 64-74-71
210 – Danny Willett (ENG) 71-70-69, Lucas Glover (USA) 72-69-69, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 71-69-70, Chez Reavie (USA) 68-71-71, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 67-71-72, Justin Rose (ENG) 70-67-73
211 – Sam Burns (USA) 70-72-69, Jimmy Walker (USA) 70-70-71, Scott Piercy (USA) 72-67-72, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 70-68-73
212 – Shane Lowry (IRL) 75-69-68, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 76-68-68, Adam Long (USA) 73-70-69, Abraham Ancer (MEX) 73-70-69, Jason Day (AUS) 69-74-69, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 72-71-69, Tony Finau (USA) 70-73-69, Li Haotong (CHN) 73-69-70, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 72-70-70, Aaron Wise (USA) 70-71-71, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 71-69-72, Matt Kuchar (USA) 70-70-72, Charles Howell (USA) 72-67-73
213 – Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 76-67-70, Joel Dahmen (USA) 70-72-71, Billy Horschel (USA) 70-72-71, Webb Simpson (USA) 72-69-72, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 72-68-73, Zach Johnson (USA) 71-69-73, Gary Woodland (USA) 70-70-73, Keegan Bradley (USA) 70-70-73, Bronson Burgoon (USA) 73-66-74
214 – J.J. Spaun (USA) 72-72-70, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 73-70-71, Jason Kokrak (USA) 73-70-71, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 74-67-73, Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) 68-71-75, Kelly Kraft (USA) 71-65-78, Daniel Berger (USA) 70-66-78
215 – J.T. Poston (USA) 77-67-71, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 74-70-71, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 70-72-73
216 – Ryan Vermeer (USA) 70-74-72, Cameron Champ (USA) 72-71-73, Alex Noren (SWE) 73-69-74, Paul Casey (ENG) 70-71-75, Phil Mickelson (USA) 69-71-76, Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) 75-65-76
217 – Lucas Herbert (AUS) 74-70-73, Justin Harding (RSA) 74-70-73, Cameron Smith (AUS) 73-70-74, Charley Hoffman (USA) 73-69-75, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 74-68-75, Pat Perez (USA) 68-73-76
218 – Rob Labritz (USA) 75-69-74, Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) 75-69-74, Beau Hossler (USA) 72-69-77, Ross Fisher (ENG) 74-67-77
219 – Andrew Putnam (USA) 74-70-75, Kevin Tway (USA) 73-70-76, Kurt Kitayama (USA) 74-68-77
220 – Corey Conners (CAN) 72-72-76, Marty Jertson (USA) 72-69-79, Max Homa (USA) 70-71-79
221 – Joost Luiten (NED) 72-72-77, David Lipsky (USA) 70-74-77
226 – Rich Beem (USA) 75-69-82
