World’s No.1 ranked player lets good round get away at PGA Championship

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The latest from the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park:

This might be the worst Justin Thomas ever felt about a 68 in a major.

The world's No. 1 player made the cut on the number at the PGA Championship and still held out hope of making a run. He figured he would need to be 10 under on the weekend, and he started the third round with five birdies in seven holes.

But he made two bogeys to close out the front nine — those are two of the hardest holes at Harding Park — and then dropped two more shots at the end of his round.

Thomas says he was most pointed with his wedge play.

“I let a really good round go, and really had a great opportunity to put myself in a good position going into tomorrow,” he said.

“I just didn’t capitalize on the back nine.”

Tiger Woods

***

has

disap

already made

the turn in the third round of the PGA Championship, and he is still looking for his first birdie of the day.

Woods started Saturday’s round at even par, eight strokes behind leader Li Haotong, before making three bogeys in a five-hole stretch at the turn.

Woods three-putted from 26 feet on the par-3 eighth hole to make a bogey, then did it again from 44 feet on the par-3 11th.

He dropped another stroke on the par-4 12th when he flew the green on his second shot and then chipped back over the green on his third shot.

The leaders have yet to tee off at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Among those making a move from back in the field is world No. 1 Justin Thomas, who was 2 under for the day to improve to minus-1 for the tournament. Thomas was minus-5 through seven holes and still at 3 under before bogeying the 18th hole.

Still on the course were Emiliano Grillo, who was 3 under for the day to improve to minus-2, and Patrick Cantlay, who was also 3 under, leaving him at minus-2 for the tournament.

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Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have been friends since they were 13 and represented a U.S. team that played in France. They were paired Saturday at the PGA Championship, but have never been farther apart.

Spieth already had two majors before Thomas had his first PGA Tour win. Now, Thomas is No. 1 in the world and Spieth has fallen out of the top 60 having gone three years without a victory.

More separation

Park.

They both made the cut on the number and started the third round nine shots behind Li Haotong. This figures to be a big day for everyone, and Thomas quickly seized on it with two birdies in four holes. Spieth quickly opened with two straight bogeys, and he had to save par on the par-5 fourth hole. He remained in last place.

Tiger Woods also had an early start, as did Phil Mickelson. They all figured to finish their rounds before Li and the other contenders even teed off.

came

at

Harding