5 burning questions for final round at Southern Hills

Only 18 holes remain at the 2022 PGA Championship with Mito Pereira sitting down in the lead. What massive thoughts linger ahead of Sunday’s remaining spherical?

Coming into Saturday and the weekend at the 2022 PGA Championship, golfing lovers realized that the temperature was about to flip with the winds dying down a little bit but the temperatures dropping significantly. That would make a new take a look at — but the expectation was for the heavy hitters such as Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas and even Rory McIlroy to make a assertion following 36 holes.

As an alternative, it was the youthful Chilean, Mito Pereira, a participant nevertheless seeking for his first PGA Tour earn, who took management of the second important championship of the calendar year.

With an remarkable 69 on a day when virtually no a single shot less than par, Pereira jumped out to 9-less than for the event, giving him a three-stroke lead heading into Sunday and on the lookout primed to make his to start with victory outside of the Korn Ferry Tour a momentous a single.

Presented the circumstances and how tough Southern Hills has played, while, almost nothing is specific in excess of the closing 18 holes. There is nonetheless a lot of drama left to engage in out on Sunday for the ultimate spherical and, getting that in mind, these five queries will be at the forefront for the final working day of the 2022 PGA Championship right before a winner is topped.

PGA Championship 2022: Burning questions for the last round

5. Can Mito Pereira hold on for his very first earn and initial important?

Pereira is 1 of only two gamers in the subject who has been underneath par in every single spherical of the tournament to this place — and his 69 on Saturday may be even additional amazing than the 64 he shot on Friday supplied the components.

But, we’ve witnessed players who have looked chilly-blooded at factors in this match fall back again to Earth time and once again. It happened to Rory, to JT, to Zalatoris, and to numerous other folks. Now with the force of winning his first event because joining the PGA Tour becoming at a important championship, how Pereira handles that at a study course that has demonstrated its teeth usually this 7 days will be fascinating to view over the ultimate 18 holes.

4. Did Will Zalatoris get his terrible round out of the way?

Soon after a 66-65 start out to the PGA Championship, it appeared that Zalatoris was in line to run absent for his very own initial victory since joining the PGA Tour. As it generally has been, although, the putter proved to be a nemesis for the youngster on Saturday. After getting 6.18 strokes on the industry on the greens about the very first two rounds when he jumped out to the direct, Zalatoris gave back again 1.52 strokes with the putter.

The issue, even so, is if this was the outlier round. If so, could we see Willy Z charge up the leaderboard from a few again of Pereira and consider the very first-victory glory from his fellow competitor? You can’t rule it out.

3. Is all people overlooking Matt Fitzpatrick?

The other man tied with Zalatoris in second at 6-less than? Matt Fitzpatrick. That may well surprise you thinking about that he was not portion of the conversation coming into the weekend, irrespective of the simple fact that he was lurking at 3-underneath. Having said that, with a 3-beneath 67 on Saturday, he’s now heavily in the combine and is yet a further participant searching for his first win stateside.

What stands out for Fitzpatrick, nevertheless, is that his placing has buoyed his overall performance. He’s gained 5.71 strokes with the flat adhere this week, one particular of the finest marks in the discipline. Can he retain that up to retain surging up the leaderboard and, possibly, taste victory? Or will he appear back again to Earth and drop small as a end result.

2. Will Cameron Younger be the 1 to split through for his to start with get?

Just powering Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris sits Cameron Young, a darkish horse decide on for lots of coming into the 7 days and for great purpose. His capacity to engage in on unique forms of classes and contend through his rookie PGA Tour period have him on the radars of lots of folks and he’s proving he’s the products once again, capturing back again-to-again 67s on Friday and Saturday following a 1-over round to get started his week.

Higher than all else, Younger has just been continuous with his scoring this week and has attained strokes across the board, most impactfully (as envisioned) with the driver. With the way this tournament has played out so considerably, it’s difficult to rule him out at 4 strokes off the guide with the way he’s gotten to this stage in.

1. Do Justin Thomas or even Rory McIlroy have any Sunday magic?

Saturday was a working day to overlook for both JT and Rory as they lumbered their way to twin 74s on the day. That leaves Thomas 7 strokes at the rear of Pereira and McIlroy a whopping nine strokes off the speed.

When which is a chasm involving the two stars and the leader, these are two of the most effective scorers on the world. We saw McIlroy try out to chase down Scottie Scheffler at August and Thomas has thrived on Sundays as well. If Pereira and the other host of players searching for a initial gain falter below the stress though Thomas and McIlroy go small, that could legitimately put them in the mix.

The query suggests it all, even though: Do they have the Sunday magic to make that materialize in the ultimate spherical? All eyes should be tuned in to see if they do.