TULSA, Oklahoma (Reuters) – The PGA Championship’s underdogs had loads of bite heading into Sunday’s remaining spherical in Tulsa, with none of the highest 4 having ever gained a PGA Tour occasion – not to mention a main title.
Miserable situations thrashed former main winners at Southern Hills Country Club however noticed Chilean Mito Pereira, who missed the minimize in his solely prior main look at the 2019 U.S. Open, climb into the highest spot after carding a one-below 69.
“It’s by far the most important match I performed, the most important spherical of golf and tomorrow goes to be even larger,” mentioned Pereira, who withdrew from the Zurich Classic final month.
Sitting three strokes behind him have been Briton Matt Fitzpatrick (67), who has collected seven wins on the DP Tour however by no means cracked the PGA circuit, and American Will Zalatoris.
Zalatoris (73) claimed his sole skilled win on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020, although his shock second-place end at Augusta final 12 months earned him a spot amongst golf’s beloved darkish horses.
“Just keep on with my sport,” he mentioned. “Got nothing to lose tomorrow. I do know I’m enjoying some actually good golf, and hopefully at the tip of the day it provides as much as the decrease rating.”
Rounding out the shock cohort was American Cameron Young (67), who’s 4 strokes again from the lead after ending tied for third at RBC Heritage in April and second at the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this month.
With previous main winners Stewart Cink, Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson every seven strokes again headed into Sunday, there’s nonetheless a probability for a veteran to sneak his means into a win.
But Collin Morikawa’s win on his first strive at the PGA Championship two years in the past continues to encourage.
“That’s simply how it’s. If you play actually good golf throughout the week, you are going to win,” mentioned Pereira. “Doesn’t matter your first time or your tenth time, should you play actually, rather well you are, going to have probabilities.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
