Saturday's Birdies and Bogeys

By golfdigest.com

August 14, 2015

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Birdie: Jason Day

A bogey to finish his second round in the morning followed by a rocky start to his third round in the afternoon made it appear like this might be another major Day is destined to lose. Then for a six-hole stretch in which he went six under, it looked like there was no way he couldn't. A double bogey on No. 15 and a terrible break on 16 stopped the Aussie's momentum, but a strong finish gave him a 66 and put him in the final pairing with Jordan Spieth. With the 54-hole lead in a third consecutive major, he knows capturing his first won't be easy, but at least he'll be able to keep tabs on a certain guy going for his third this season. -- Alex Myers

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Birdie: Jordan Spieth

This wasn't Augusta National, but Jordan Spieth's Saturday back nine sure felt reminiscent of the way Spieth rolled putt after putt in at this year's Masters. It was a back-nine 30 for Spieth, who ended the day two strokes off the lead of Jason Day, who he'll be paired with on Sunday. It's hard to believe a 22-year-old has a chance to become the first player in history to win all three U.S.-based majors in a calendar year. But after watching Spieth for all of 2015, golf fans have learned to expect this level of greatness. -- Stephen Hennessey

Photo By: Chris Carlson/AP Photo

Bogey: CBS

On Thursday and Friday, it was TNT's turn to take a bashing from the always tough-to-please legion of golf viewers. But on Saturday, CBS took over the hot seat and fans weren't kind. It didn't help that the network showed one live golf shot in its first 15 minutes of coverage. Or that it seemed like Herb Kohler or PGA of America executives or pre-taped packages (We ALL know about Dustin Johnson's bunker gaffe in 2010 by now) were on the screen more than the guys actually playing. Hopefully, this was a Saturday thing and we'll see more live golf on Sunday. We've got a pretty decent tournament going on. -- A.M.

Photo By: Chris Condon/PGA TOUR/Getty Images

Birdie: Branden Grace

For a second straight American major, Grace is a major factor on the weekend. A bunker hole-out from the South African capped off a round of 64, Saturday's low round on a birdie-filled day at Whistling Straits, and made it 15 birdies to no bogeys for he and his playing partner, Martin Kaymer. After a T-4 at the U.S. Open when he played in the final group at Chambers Bay, Grace locked up another late tee time at a major. Now he has experience on his side. -- S.H.

Photo By: Chris Carlson/AP Photo

Birdie: Martin Kaymer

Quietly, Kaymer is on the verge of doing really special things on Sunday. The German put himself in position to nab a third major with a bogey-free round of 65 on Saturday. And Kaymer could win two straight PGA Championships at this Pete Dye design. Just this week, Kaymer said it's sad his Whistling Straits win is remembered more for Dustin Johnson losing it by grounding his club in a bunker. If Kaymer can put together another round like Saturday's, he'll make sure no one forgets his accomplishment this time. -- S.H.

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Bogey: Matt Jones' Adventures on Holes 15-17

Jones walked to the 15th tee at 14 under for the tournament, good enough for second place. By the time he reached the 18th, he was down to 10 under, thanks to a bogey-double bogey-bogey stretch. While he made a four on the treacherous 18th, the damage had been done. After playing the best golf of his life for nearly three rounds, Jones enters Sunday play five shots back of Jason Day. -- Joel Beall

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Birdie: Matt Jones' Tent Shot

It is rare we applaud a player for pulling his tee shot so far left he was fortunate not to kill anyone. But if not for Jones' hooked drive, we wouldn't have been witness to his heroics out of the Michelob Ultra hospitality area, where he managed to draw a clean lie despite having to navigate a picket fence barrier and a swarm of well-lubricated observers. Jones managed to sail his approach just over the green, but into some gnarly rough, and was fortunate to walk away with a bogey. - Sam Weinman

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Bogey: David Lingmerth

Lingmerth was in the second-to-last group in the third round, but you'd never know it by looking at the leader board. On a day where players posted video-game numbers at Whistling Straits, Lingmerth withered, finishing with a 75. He had been one of the hottest players on tour, winning at the Memorial and placing third at the Quicken Loans National and sixth at the Bridgestone Invitational. Alas, the PGA Championship doused those flames on Saturday. -- J.B.

Photo By: Julio Cortez/AP Photo

Birdie: Phil Mickelson

At 45, Mickelson did something he's never done at a major championship: make nine birdies in a round. And even with three bogeys on the card, Lefty's six-under-par 66 marked his lowest-ever score in relation to par at the PGA. That's the good news. The bad news is after a lackluster first two days, Phil found himself 12 shots off the lead heading into the third round. If he's to contend on a Sunday at the PGA for a second straight year, he'll probably need to go even lower. -- A.M.

Photo By: Jae Hong/AP Photo

Birdie: Tony Finau

As much as we make fun of Matt Jones' meager major record, he looks like Jack Nicklaus compared to Finau, the long-hitting, flat-brim wearing PGA Tour rookie who was making just his second appearance in a major this week. But Finau looked unfazed. With a hot putter to go with his booming driver, Finau hung around the leader board all day, with his 69 (following a second-round 66 he finished in the morning) giving him at least an outside chance of contending for his first major championship -- and PGA Tour title -- on Sunday. -- S.W.

Photo By: Chris Carlson/AP Photo

Bogey: Sergio Garcia

Considering his driving ability, it's a mystery why Garcia hasn't played better at Whistling Straits. After missing the cut in both 2004 and 2010, at least the Spaniard stuck around for the weekend this time, but a Saturday 75 put him near the bottom of the leader board through three rounds and ensured he'll go another season without winning a first major championship. Amazingly, it's been 16 years since Sergio nearly won a Wanamaker Trophy at age 19. How hasn't he broken through yet with all of his talent? That remains an even bigger mystery. -- A.M.

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Birdie: Boo Weekley

It's been some time since we've heard from Weekley, but he made the most of advantageous scoring conditions in the morning, shooting a seven-under 65 on Saturday. As he entered the weekend one over for the tournament, Weekley likely won't be a serious contender for the Wanamaker Trophy. Nevertheless, for a 42-year-old who hasn't had a top-10 major finish since the 2007 PGA Championship, not a bad performance. -- J.B.

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Bogey: Harris English

English started the day at five under. He finished the day at one under. By our calculations, that means the Georgia product turned in a 76 in the third round. Considering his counterparts were posting 64s, 65s and 66s on Saturday, it was an unforgettable stroll through Whistling Straits for English, and another chapter in what has been a disappointing spring and summer. -- J.B.

Photo By: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

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Saturday's Birdies and Bogeys

Shop This Look

Birdie: Jason Day

Birdie: Jordan Spieth

Bogey: CBS

Birdie: Branden Grace

Birdie: Martin Kaymer

Bogey: Matt Jones' Adventures on Holes 15-17

Birdie: Matt Jones' Tent Shot

Bogey: David Lingmerth

Birdie: Phil Mickelson

Birdie: Tony Finau

Bogey: Sergio Garcia

Birdie: Boo Weekley

Bogey: Harris English