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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Jason Day in the lead at PGA as Jordan Spieth makes a charge

A birdie at the 17th Saturday helped Jason Day of Australia take a two-shot lead into today’s final round at the PGA Championship. (Associated Press)
Doug Ferguson

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – Three times this year, Jason Day has gone into the final round of a major with his name atop the leaderboard.

Twice this year, Jordan Spieth has posed with the trophy.

The two hottest golfers face off in the final group of the final major of the year at the PGA Championship, both wanting nothing more than to have their named etched on the Wanamaker Trophy. Both go into the final round today at Whistling Straits relying on a different set of memories.

Day made six consecutive 3s in the middle of his round, lost momentum with a double bogey from a bunker, and then steadied himself with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that sent him to a 6-under 66 and a two-shot lead over Spieth.

“I’m not looking it as a negative,” Day said about his close calls. “You can’t, because you’ve got two shots and I’ve played phenomenal golf leading up to this. But now I’ve got to focus on round four. Everything I need to do is just make sure that I focus and prepare myself for (today).”

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

He was five shots behind and had two holes to play, hopeful to stay within three or four shots. He wound up only two shots behind and is poised to join Tiger Woods (2000) and Ben Hogan (1953) as the only players to win three majors in one season.

Just like his bid for the Grand Slam that ended at St. Andrews, Spieth is more concerned with one trophy than a collection.

“Just to try to get my name on the Wanamaker Trophy, that’s about it. That’s the only history I’ll be thinking of when we step on the first tee today,” Spieth said. “I’ll go into (it) strictly for the history piece of trying to get my name on a different major.”

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. And while the focus is on Day and Spieth, this was hardly a two-man race.

Branden Grace holed out from the front bunker on the tough 18th hole for birdie and a 64, the low score of the third round that put him three shots out of the lead. The South African was tied for the lead with three holes to play in the U.S. Open until hitting his drive out-of-bounds onto railroad tracks at Chambers Bay.

Justin Rose, despite a double bogey on the fourth hole for the second straight day, had a 68 and was three shots behind. And not to be overlooked was Martin Kaymer. He had a 65 and was four shots behind.

But in this undeniable generation shift in golf, Day and Spieth in the final pairing is compelling.

“You can never count out Jordan right now with how he’s playing,” Day said. “He’s just full of confidence right now. So with my confidence level and his stellar play right now, I feel like it’s going to be an exciting finish tomorrow.”

The turnaround late Saturday afternoon was stunning.

In control of his swing and putting beautifully, Day was 6 under over a six-hole stretch in the middle of his round. That included an eagle on 11, where he hit his drive with such force that he hit a pitching wedge to 15 feet.

One swing changed everything. 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 got hot.

Spieth made a two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th and then hit 4-iron to 12 feet for a birdie on the 17th and he was, indeed, close enough to have a chance today.