Day Holds Two-Shot Lead Over Spieth After PGA Golf Third Round

The injury caused McIlroy to miss title defenses at The Open Championship and World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational before returning at this week’s PGA Championship. “You can’t, because you’ve got two shots and I’ve played phenomenal golf leading up to this. I have just got to focus on round four and keep pushing forward”.

“The holes that I didn’t birdie on the back nine, 10 I just barely missed, 14 I was short in the heart”.

Spieth was losing patience with nine straight pars until the back nine, when he closed with three straight birdies for 65.

Just like his bid for the Grand Slam that ended at St. Andrews, Spieth is more concerned with one trophy than a collection. “I’ve been in the lead in a tour event, but a major’s a different story”.

Day was at 15-under 201.

The abundant sunshine and endless action Saturday might have been a preview for what could be a sensational end to the majors.

Branden Grace of South Africa, tied for the lead with three holes to play in the U.S. Open when he hit a tee shot out-of-bounds onto the train tracks at Chambers Bay, holed a bunker shot for birdie on the 18th hole for a 64. The 27-year-old Australian finished in the top 10 at the previous two majors, won the Canadian Open last month and is ranked No. 5 in the world.

England’s Justin Rose returned to finish his round with a par on the 18th and stay third on eight under par.

On the same hole on Thursday, McIlroy saved par after playing his fourth shot from the edge of the same hazard, the defending champion simply rolling up his right trouser leg and splashing out of the shallow water to 12 feet.

Still in the mix was Martin Kaymer, who had a 65 and was four shots behind.

“It’s just all been trending in the right direction”, he said Saturday morning after finishing his second round. I felt like I played better than what the score reflected.

“Nice to wrap up the second round”, said Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion.

The 22-year-old Texan birdied six of his last eight holes in a seven-under 65 for 203.

“Actually I was happy where the ball was”, the Sydney native said.

The turnaround late Saturday afternoon was stunning.

Looking determined as ever, in control of his swing and putting beautifully, Day was 6 under over a six-hole stretch in the middle of his round.

He tugged a 5-iron into a bunker left of the 15th green and was surprised by the amount of sand. “Michael (caddie) did a great job keeping me in it”, Spieth said. It wouldn’t be quite what I wanted, but as I said, I can take positives from it and move on. I need to make this to have a chance within four of the lead. “But I did all I could do to finish off the round”.

It put him in position to sweep the three American majors.

But a poor wedge cost him a shot at the next, and he also bogeyed the eighth before mixing four birdies with two further shots on the inward half to post a 68 – six under for the tournament.

“Tomorrow it will be drawing on all the positives that we’ve done, when we did win, why did we win, what was there, and how are we going to make it happen again”, said Spieth. It gives him a huge advantage, and he’ll take advantage of it winning on Sunday.