Consider what Mito Pereira faces Sunday morning. Sitting on the 54-hole lead at the Masters last month caused Scottie Scheffler—the hottest golfer on the planet—to break down crying and require his wife to build him back up. Pereira, the 24-year-old from Chile playing in just his second major, handled the nerves splendidly in the third round—shooting a 1-under 69, including a 3-under stretch over his final six holes, to bring a three-shot lead into Sunday.
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The cauldron of Sunday will be a more devilish pressure-cooker. The Chilean will play with Matt Fitzpatrick, who like Pereira is also seeking to make the 2022 PGA Championship his first PGA Tour title. Of course, Fitzpatrick has much more experience, playing in his 28th major this week … although he’s never been in the final pairing in the final round. The Englishman made six birdies on Saturday—and will look for his biggest breakthrough on one of the biggest stages.
Pereira is the first player since John Daly at the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick to hold the 54-hole lead in his PGA Championship debut. We’ll see if Pereira can hold up to the pressure as well as Daly did.
PGA Championship 2022 live updates (all times eastern):
11:25 a.m.: Though Southern Hills is playing tough, Brian Harman is proving low scores are out there … and in bunches. The diminutive former Georgia Bulldog has started Birdie-Birdie-Birdie (!) in his first three holes. Incredible … Harman might be the shortest hitter among the contenders as well. That brings Harman to +2 so he’s still 11 shots back, but his Sunday start is very impressive.
11:05 a.m.: So far about 30 players are on the course, and only six are under-par … Kevin Streelman having the best round thus far, sitting 2-under through 11.
Though not as cold as yesterday, the wind is expected to be blowing all day with some potential strong gusts. It will be tough-sledding once again this afternoon.
One of those things: The 17th hole, which was playable in the final round and saw some low numbers, will allow for contenders to make up ground down the stretch. Cameron Young made eagle on the 17th hole, which has him four back of Mito Pereira and in the penultimate group.
Here are all the pin positions for the final round: