Date: August 12, 2018
Author: Mark Hayes

Scott roars into PGA contention

Adam Scott has been one of the most consistent major championship players of his generation.

And he's not done yet.

Scott, a fixture on major leaderboards for five years from 2011-15, including his 2013 Masters triumph, carded his second consecutive five-under-par 65 today to roar up to second in the US PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.

And in better news again for Australia, fellow Queenslander Jason Day is also in the mix after a 67 left him at eight under and just four off leader Brooks Koepka and alongside Tiger Woods on a star-studded leaderboard.

But it was Scott who made the day's biggest move, scything through the field to 10 under and into tomorrow's final group with Koepka, who's chasing his second major of the year after the US Open in June.

Scott peeled off four front-nine birdies, but watched Koepka sneak away to a five-shot edge when the Aussie bogeyed the 15th.

But the American made back-to-back blunders on the 14th and 15th as Scott birdied the 16th and 17th to leave the final-round chase very manageable.

"I've watched Tiger win 14 of these things (majors) hanging around a lot of the time," Scott said.

"He ran away with a few, for sure, but he hung around for a lot. And I would love to hang around tomorrow.

"And that might mean shooting five under again to hang around, but I would love to be in the mix coming down the stretch and have the chance to hole some putts to win."

It's a great turnaround for Scott, who has battled to just one top-10 finish in 14 months after being a top-10 fixture for years.

But he put on a ball-striking masterclass on the St Louis course, hitting 10 of 14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation.

"I’m playing some good golf. I just need to shoot a low one to try to get these guys. But the course is gettable if you’re shooting from the fairways," said Scott, who admitted he was playing with a heavy heart for fallen mate Jarrod Lyle.

"It has been a very difficult week. We’re all sending our thoughts back to his family in Australia."

One shot behind Scott in joint third at nine under are Jon Rahm (66) and Rickie Fowler (69), as well as overnight leader Gary Woodland (71).

Day couldn't quite hit but, without having found his normal silky putting touch, still well in the hunt for a second major victory.

Day, who finished second at the 2016 PGA Championship and tied ninth at last year's edition, is joined in a share of sixth by several others including defending champion Justin Thomas and Woods.

Rounding out the Australian contingent are Marc Leishman (72) and Cameron Smith (73), who both tumbled down the leader board to be one and three over, respectively.

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