Stricker makes striking start

American Steve Stricker made a promising start to his third round in the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills, with the leaders still hours away from taking to the course.

Stricker managed to build on yesterday’s 68 early on, starting with four pars until carding back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth to move to three over par for the championship.

He needed the 68 on Friday just to make the cut on the number, five over par. Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia also made the cut without a shot to spare but were off to slow starts today.

Montgomerie, who missed the cut at the first three majors of the season, had consecutive bogeys at the second and third and is six over for the tournament and two over after five holes in his third round.

Garcia does not look like he will be able to rebound from his disappointment at Carnoustie with a win here. A double-bogey at the second and a birdie at four also had the Spaniard at six over.

Tiger Woods and Scott Verplank are in the final group of the day, with Woods holding a two-shot lead after a major championship record-tying 63 on Friday. Verplank is alone in second at four under par.

Sweden’s Niclas Fasth is at one under and also goes off later this afternoon, as does Paul McGinley, the Irishman getting to even par for the championship with a second-round 66.

First-round leader Graeme Storm is at one over and has a later tee time as well.

Englishman Paul Casey and Irishman Padraig Harrington are paired together for the third round and both are at two-over 142. Casey shot 70 in the second round while Harrington stumbled to a 73.