May 20-23
Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, SC
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Phil Mickelson looked set to take a huge lead into the final round when he birdied the 10th hole to take a 5-shot lead.

He found the water with his tee shot at the 12th however and walked away with a bogey then double-bogeyed the 13th while Brooks Koepka made three birdies to tie for the lead.

Koepka three putted on the final hole for bogey and closed with a 70 while Mickelson played a risky flop shot and made a 4-foot putt for a 70 to take a one shot lead.

“I left a lot out there,” said Koepka. “I've got a chance to win, so that's all I wanted to do today is not give back any shots and be there tomorrow with a chance, and I've got that.” 

Mickelson is the oldest player to hold a 54-hole lead in a major since Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2009 at the age of 59.

While Watson lost in the playoff to Stewart Cink, Mickelson could become the oldest player to win a major. The record is currently held by Julius Boros who was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.

“I felt I had a very clear picture on every shot,” said Mickelson. “And I've been swinging the club well, and so I was executing. I just need to keep that picture a few more times.

“So even though it slipped a little bit today,” he added, “and I didn't stay as focused and as sharp on a few swings, it's significantly better than it's been for a long time.”

Mickelson has had great success in majors, with five wins and multiple runner-up finishes, but it is only his third time leading into the final day.

He will play with Koepka on Sunday with the latter aiming to win the tournament for a third time in the last four years.

Louis Oosthuizen started his round tied with Mickelson but bogeyed his first hole and never quite recovered making three birdies and another two bogeys to sign for a 72.