The form of Brooks Koepka and the calibre of players in the chasing pack means Charl Schwartzel will need to be at his best if he is to prevail at the PGA Championship.
The 33-year-old leads the South African charge at Bellerive as he sits four adrift of Koepka with Brandon Stone six back.
Koepka, who successfully defended the US Open in June, is looking to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2000 to win his national open and the PGA in the same season.
The big-hitting American let the field back into the contest with a back nine wobble but Schwartzel knows the size of the task if he is to outshine the world’s best and grab the Wanamaker trophy.
‘Yeah, tomorrow you’re going to have to hang tight, be tough,’ he said of his mindset.
‘It’s going to be hard to gain. There’s a lot of guys tied. But you’re in there with a chance to win a Major. So got to dig deep.’
Schwartzel will be hoping that his putter behaves on Sunday after being frustrated in round three.
‘Well, I three-putted the 1st for bogey and then birdied 3rd, birdied 5th. Felt comfortable, seeing the ball good, swinging nicely. But then had another three-putt on 7th.
‘I missed a really short one on 8th for birdie, and that sort of just held everything. Nothing went in. Kept giving myself chances, which I suppose is what you need to do on this course.
‘It was hard to make putts today for me. You know, got to go out tomorrow and keep hitting it like I am, and hopefully I start rolling in a few.’
Julian Suri joins the 2011 Masters champion in the 8:05pm tee time.
– By @wadepretorius
Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
