Tommy Fleetwood was happy to come through a tough third day at the 2023 US PGA Championship with a 68 to give himself an outside chance on Sunday.
Fleetwood made two birdies on the front nine and though he gave a shot back at the seventh, a 51-foot putt at the 17th got him back to one over par for the tournament and seven shots off the lead after the second-best round of the day.
With only seven players under par, plus California club professional Michael Block and fellow American Justin Suh at level par, the Englishman was hoping a 'hot start' to his final round could put him in contention.
“It’s been a really good day today," he said after climbing 25 places to a share of tenth. "It was tough, there’s very little wind but the rain is pretty relentless and everything played so long.
“Towards the end you’ve been beaten up pretty bad so you’re just holding on.
“I felt I played really well yesterday, made a couple of soft bogeys but played fairly well and in the tournament for the weekend.
“It’s always cool going into a major Sunday with some sort of chance and we’ll see if we can get off to a hot start.”
Fleetwood bucked one trend by holing a 70-foot putt for a birdie three on the sixth hole – playing more than half a stroke over par for the week and ranking as the hardest hole in 20 years of US PGA records.
“Got a drive in play and hit, I think it was a five iron to the front edge,” he recalled.
“I’d actually hit two good putts on four and five which burnt the edge and then you get a monster that you’re happy just to two-putt – and hole a 60-foot putt to make a three, which is a big bonus.”
