Americans stay on top of PGA pack

By Brendon Hanley Aug 14, 2011, 0:13 GMT

Atlanta, Georgia - Brendan Steele and Jason Dufner are co-leaders at seven-under par after three rounds at the PGA Championship, but a number of players are in striking distance of the pair, including three other Americans within three strokes.

Steele, a tour rookie playing in his first major championship, posted a four-under 66 Saturday to make up two strokes on Dufner, who started the day as co-leader at five under along with Keegan Bradley, who is a stroke behind at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

The three unheralded Americans are looking best to snap the longest drought in majors for US players in the modern era at six events, but Scott Verplank and Steve Stricker are looming at five and four under respectively, while Denmark's Anders Hansen is the only international player at three under or better.

'It feels pretty good. I've been slowly getting better this year,' said Steele, the 121st-ranked player in the world who would be the first man since Ben Curtis won the 2003 Open Championship to win his debut major.

The 28-year-old Steele, who won the Valero Texas Open event earlier this year, double bogeyed the seventh hole for the second time this week, but otherwise played top-drawer golf, earning seven birdies en route to his third consecutive sub-70 round.

Dufner dealt well with the early pressure of starting as leader, going one under before making a 30-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole to take the lead at seven under.

'I'm just trying to get into position and win this thing,' said the 80th-ranked Dufner, who shot a 68 but would have had sole lead at the end of the day if not for three-putt bogeys on both 12 and 14.

Bradley, also in his first major tournament, rebounded with three quick birdies after opening the day with two bunker shots and a double bogey on the first hole.

'I did a great job of putting that (double bogey) behind me early in the day,' said Bradley, who ended with an erratic but impressive 69 to remain ahead of a pair of chasing veterans.

Verplank stands in fourth, two off the pace, after starting his day with an early bogey and double bogey but coming back with four birdies on the back nine.

'Today was a roller coaster for me,' said Verplank before talking about the possibility of winning his first major at the age of 47. 'Obviously it would be a dream come true for me.'

One behind Verplank is another 40-plus player without a major title, Stricker, who shot a relatively quiet 69 on Saturday after leading the tournament on the first day with a record 63 and a 74 yesterday.

At three under, a stroke behind Stricker, who is the highest-rated US player in the world at number five, are Hansen and DA Points.

A dangerous group of five players sit at two under, hungrily eyeing a run at the relatively inexperienced leaders on Sunday.

David Toms set the early pace Saturday, shooting five under on the back nine on his way to the clubhouse with a 65.

Even with Toms are reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who posted a bogey-free four-under round on Saturday, a pair of Australians in Adam Scott and John Senden, and Swede Robert Karlsson, who managed a 67.

Toms won the PGA the last time it was played at this course, and he is in the mix again after scoring an eagle on 12 and a birdie at 18 after narrowly clearing the water.

He admitted that his 2001 PGA win was on his mind. 'There are a lot of memories for sure,' Toms said. 'The golf course is different - much more demanding, so I'll have to play extremely well.'

Schwartzel agreed that the course was a challenge worthy of a major.

'It's very penalising,' the South African said. 'I was a bit more clever today. A few of the holes that were inviting me the first two rounds, I took with more caution.'

World number one Luke Donald made a midday charge, and after 15 holes was five under on the day.

But the Englishman, who has never won a major, bogeyed 16 and put his third shot at the killer par-four 18 into the water, ending up with a double bogey to take him to minus one for the championship.

Also at minus one are Donald's compatriot Lee Westwood, the number two ranked player in the world, and Jim Furyk, who collapsed at the end of his round by hitting it in the water on 15 and twice on 18.

Four-time major winner Phil Mickelson three-putted 18 to fall back to even for the tournament, but stayed in the hunt with a 69 Saturday. There are 19 players ahead of Mickelson shooting under par for the tournament.

US Open champion Rory McIlroy came into the week as one of the favourites, but an ailing wrist has certainly contributed to a disappointing plus-seven 217 through three rounds.

Tiger Woods, defending champion Martin Kaymer, Jason Day, who had finished second at each of the last two majors, and British Open champion Darren Clarke are among the players who failed to make the cut Friday.