The Brooks Koepka Show continued in the third round of the 101st PGA Championship.
The course played much more difficult, but the third-ranked Koepka compiled an even-par 70 and maintained a seven-stroke lead over four players going to the final round on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park www.bethpagegolfcourse.com in Farmingdale, N.Y.
“I felt I hit the ball better than I did yesterday, but I didn’t putt as well,” said Koepka, who is defending the PGA title he won last year at Bellerive in St. Louis. “I left a bunch of putts short because I guess I didn’t want to leave myself three- and four-footers coming back. I just need to hit them a little harder.
“I’m not going to the range or anything, I’m going to go home to relax and get ready for tomorrow. … I’m definitely not going to let up. I know guys are going to have to push on this golf course, and if you have to push, you’re going to make mistakes.
“ … I feel confident. I feel good. I feel excited.”
Koepka, who also captured the last two U.S. Opens, has led virtually all the way after opening with 63-65. He had three birdies and three bogeys in round three to finish 54 holes at 12-under 198.
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson shot 69 and is tied for second with Harold Varner III (67), Luke List (69) and Jazz Janewattananond (67) of Thailand, while Hideki Matsuyama of Japan finished at 68 and is eight shots back in a tie for sixth with Matt Wallace of England, who wound up at 70.
Ninth-ranked Xander Schauffele of La Jolla and San Diego State posted a 68 and is one more down in a tie for eighth with Adam Scott (72) of Australia, Patrick Cantlay (68) of Los Alamitos and Jordan Spieth 72.
Tenth-ranked Rickie Fowler of Murrieta shot 71 and is tied for 14th, while second-ranked Justin Rose of England is tied for 16th after a 73, fourth-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is tied for 26th following a 69, seventh-ranked Francesco Molinari of Italy totaled 73 and is tied for 39th, and 2005 PGA champion Phil Mickelson struggled to a 76 and is tied for 58th.
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