Matt Jones takes the lead at PGA Championship, Woods likely heading home

Ten holes into his round Saturday, Jordan Spieth was seething.

He has not ruled out his chances of victory and a successful PGA Championship defence on Sunday but is taking a more pragmatic view of the the final major of the year’s fourth round.

It was more cathartic than strategic, and it began a string of six birdies in the last eight holes that left Spieth two shots off the lead.

“In any major championship that’s great after two days”, said Rose.

The world No. 5 put together a six-under-66 to move to 15-under for the tournament, good enough for a two-stroke lead over world No. 2 Spieth, but it could have been even better for the Queenslander. “You can’t, because you’ve got two shots and I’ve played phenomenal golf leading up to this. I’m really looking forward to it”. His front nine scorecard looked like a Christmas card there was so much color on it from the birdies and bogeys. Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods are the only players ever to achieve that remarkable feat.

“When I think of this being the last major of the year, it’s a little bit of a sad feeling because I really thoroughly enjoy playing in majors“, he said.

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

Day knows Spieth is his nearest rival but is wary of getting into a matchplay battle.

Earlier, Johnson had taken the lead after a birdie on the par-four 10th – his second in a row and third of the round – but his previous bad luck at Whistling Straits seemed to return on the 13th as his second shot found the rough just ahead of the green.

Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champ, is three shots back, tied with U.S. Open contender Branden Grace.

Day, with nine top-10 major finishes in just 20 starts, may have something to say about that as he bids to land his first win. He had a 65 and is four shots back.

Another American who had a hard day was the former PGA champion John Daly, who showed his frustration by throwing his club into the water on the 10th hole before ending the day 11-over-par. He tugged a 5-iron into a bunker left of the 15th green and was surprised by the amount of sand. The first shot didn’t make it up the slope and rolled back into the sand, and Day wound up with a double bogey right about the time Spieth shifted into another gear.

“It wasn’t the best of starts, but to hit those two shots on the second hole and make birdie, that sort of settled me down and I could get into the round”.

Playing his first tournament since the US Open in June after seven weeks out due to an ankle ligament injury, McIlroy made amends for a double bogey on the 18th by chipping in for eagle on the second and also carded two birdies and one bogey.

“If he goes out and wins tomorrow from him putting well, then he deserves it but I’m going to give him a fight”.