Harrington back in contention with round of 66

Padraig Harrington bounced back into contention at the rain-delayed US PGA Championship after closing out his third round today with a 66 at Oakland Hills.

The Open champion had been unable to complete his round yesterday when thunderstorms intervened as he had just putted out for a birdie at the ninth.

The Irishman had declared his championship bid finished at five over par after two rounds, citing mental fatigue following the exertions of his Royal Birkdale victory last month.

He had been one of 48 players forced to return to the Detroit course this morning to finish their third rounds but having risen at 4.30am local time he showed no ill effects from the early start, sinking four birdies in a row from the 13th to the 16th for a four-under-par 66 that could have been better but for a bogey at the last.

Harrington will start his final round at one over par for the tournament with halfway leader JB Holmes still out on the course and having to play his whole third round on this morning having started at one-under.

Fellow contenders Charlie Wi, Ben Curtis and Justin Rose were also facing a 36-hole day, starting their third rounds at even par on the par-70 course that was playing softer and longer after an afternoon of torrential showers yesterday.

Curtis, the 2003 Open champion, had assumed the lead after 11 holes at three under for the week, with Holmes on two under, but Rose’s round buckled at the par-four 11th with a triple-bogey seven that sent him to two over par after 11 holes.

Henrik Stenson, who had started his round one over par, was also moving well, at two under after 12 having birdied the second, fifth and 12th holes.

The final round will be played in groups of three from both the first and the 10th tees, officials announced on last night, with start times beginning at 5.20pm (Irish Time) and the lead group going off at 7.20pm (Irish Time).

Yet weather forecasters were predicting a 40 per cent chance of scattered rain showers and possibly an isolated thunderstorm for the afternoon’s play.

Graeme McDowell, Andres Romero and Camilo Villegas had all made charges towards the top of the leaderboard before the rain brought a halt to the third-round action yesterday.

Argentina’s Romero started the third round at seven over par, eight shots back on Holmes, while both Colombia’s Villegas and Northern Irishman McDowell teed off at six over.

After a difficult opening two days’ play on the tough and unforgiving par-70 course, all three got on track at Oakland Hills before the threat of rain called a halt.

Romero rattled in seven birdies and just two bogeys on his way to a five-under, course-record equalling 65 to move to two over for the tournament, while Villegas was on course for the same score before bogeys at the last two holes left him on 67, three over for the tournament.

McDowell, a two-time European Tour winner this year had begun with birdies at the par-five second and the par-four sixth, which tournament officials shortened from 387 yards following the second round, measuring 285 yards to the front of the green and 318 yards to the hole.

McDowell bogeyed the 16th just before play was halted and returned with another bogey at 17 for a 68 that included an eagle three at the 12th. He was due to start his final round at four over.

Paul Casey struggled to a 72, while Ian Poulter opened with a double bogey six at the first on the way to a 73, leaving the English duo to head into the final round at eight over.