The USPGA Championship will go to a fifth day after lightning saw the top ten not even make it to the first tee on Saturday, and 37 of the 81-runner, post-cut field in the clubhouse.
Of the men who finished their third round in normal time, only clubhouse leader Kevin Kisner and former winner Padraig Harrington, on -6 and -4 respectively, have any realistic chance of victory, going by the logic of Phil Mickelson (-1) at least.
‘Lefty’, also in the clubhouse, says the Major record of 62, which he almost beat a fortnight ago in the Open, is under threat, with ‘a lot of birdie holes’ at Baltustrol.
By that rationale, the winner seems extremely likely to come from the eight-man group on -5 or better with two rounds to go, namely Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb on -9, Emiliano Grillo and Jason Day on -7, Henrik Stenson on -6, and Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka and Martin Kaymer, each on -5.
Defending champions Day gets bwin’s favouritsm going into the weekend late at 13/5, but Stenson’s name jumps out after the Swede’s spectacular Open win at Royal Troon, setting a new Major record low score at 264 and tying lowest round Johnny Miller with a Sunday 63.
The 41-year-old is a whizz at USPGAs, finishing in the top six four times in his past six attempts, tying for third a year after taking the Bronze medal outright in 2014.
With a long way still to go in this Major, it’s hard to see anyone but Stenson as the value at 4/1 after the way he ripped up through the Old Course in Ayrshire.
Only two of the last eight USPGA winners have hailed from the States, with four of them European including Kaymer, who outlasted Bubba Watson in a playoff at Whistling Straits six years ago.
The German added a US Open title in 2014 and found some Major form this time last year, finishing T12 in both the Open and USPGA championships.
Kaymer’s form has always been somewhat patchy, and he still has plenty to do four shots back from the leading pair, but he rates an interesting alternative at 14/1.
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