World No. 100 Mito Pereira leads the chasing pack with three shots after posting a one-under 69, and leads the major with a nine-under score after 54 holes.
Pereira, a rookie yet to win the PGA Tour, rode to a commanding lead of four shots after five holes, but a run of four bogeys over five holes dragged him back into the pack.
Back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th again extended his lead, showing poise and determination that belied the 27-year-old Chilean’s experience. And he finished his round perfectly, rolling home a 20-foot birdie putt to surprise the fans.
Pereira, who is playing in his first PGA championship, is just 18 holes away from taking a big win and completing a fairytale story.
And he’s got a group of young fellows — all inexperienced in majors — on his guard.
chasing
Pereira was the beneficiary of some erratic play from Will Zalatoris on Saturday.
The young American played in the final pair alongside Pereira, after finishing second in the standings on Friday, but struggled with colder and windier weather.
The 25-year-old battled his driving and putting skills all day, consistently failing to hit fairways and missing some of the putts he should normally make.
Zalatoris made four bogeys — and no birdies — in his front nine and two birdies and another bogey on his back nine, en route to finish with a three-over 73 and six-under for the tournament.
Elsewhere, Matt Fitzpatrick had a brilliant third lap to drag himself into the final lap.
The young British player finished three-under 67 to finish six-under. It will be his first time in the top 10 and entering the final round of a major.
For Fitzpatrick, who is trying to become the first Englishman to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919, he has been getting into shape in recent months, something he puts to work during the off-season golfing season.
“My driving was already a good strength last year and putting has always been a strength of mine,” he told the media.
“We made changes over the winter with my short game and my irons. So far I feel they have paid off. I think the most important thing for me is that my results have shown that, but I feel it also in my game. I feel like I can take the pictures I want to see and so far it’s been a good year.”
And the top four is rounded out by Cameron Young, who also scored an excellent 67 to close out the day five-under for the tournament.
Young, who also hasn’t won on the PGA Tour, is playing in his first PGA Championship and his first time qualifying for a major weekend.
After an early bogey in his lap, three birdies catapulted him into the standings. But it was an eagle on the 17th hole that really turned his round from mediocre to excellent, leaving him playing in one of Sunday’s last pairs.
