We’ve been blessed as golf fans with some amazing final rounds at majors in recent memory. The palpable anticipation on Sunday at the 2021 PGA Championship ranks up there with any other, as 50-year-old Phil Mickelson has the chance to become the oldest major champion in our sport’s history (Julius Boros winning the 1968 PGA at age 48 holds that mark).
(Scroll down for the latest updates)
Mickelson will have to stare down Brooks Koepka, one of the most intimidating players of his generation—which explains why Sunday is shaping up to be one of the best final rounds in recent memory. Koepka’s confidence seems to be pretty high—remarking on Saturday that a two-under 70 was the “worst score I could’ve shot.” That certainly sounds like a Tiger Woods in his prime comment.
If we’ve learned anything from early action on Sunday, there are low scores to be had—so this is nothing close to a two-horse race. Abraham Ancer carded the lowest nine-hole score of the week, going out in five-under 31. Garrick Higgo made seven birdies over his first 11 holes, so the chasers at 2- and 3-under probably still have a chance. Bryson DeChambeau (2 p.m.) is one of those at 2-under, and we know the 2020 U.S. Open champion is capable of something special. And the 2019 U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland is also at 2-under. Don’t sleep on South Africans Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, either, who tee off together at 3-under (2:10 p.m.).
Here are the latest updates from Sunday at Kiawah Island:
11:53 a.m.: The Ocean Course might be playing easier today, but that doesn’t mean the Pete Dye design isn’t frustrating the world’s best players.
The latest example? Henrik Stenson and a club snap … who doesn’t love a good club snap video.
11:39 a.m.: Justin Rose is en fuego so far in his final round—the 2013 U.S. Open champion birdied his first three holes, then just rolled in a fourth birdie on the sixth hole. He’s currently even par for the tourney, which is T-13 at the moment. Rose would need a something like a historic final-round 61 to give the leaders truly something to think about—but he can rack up a bunch of money and world ranking points if he keeps these low scores up.
11:25 a.m.: Out of the 40-plus golfers already on the golf course, only 11 have rounds over-par at the moment, and we don’t expect the conditions to really change too dramatically as the leaders get out on the course.
The best round on the course still belongs to Abraham Ancer (5-under through 12)—here’s Ancer rolling in his fifth birdie of his front nine on the ninth hole.