CHASKA, Minn. — If Y.E. Yang’s hot pink pants and theatrics didn’t get Tiger Woods’ attention Saturday at the PGA Championship, his ball-striking and shotmaking did.
The 37-year-old South Korean shot the low round of the day, a 67 that brought him to 6-under-par 210 and earned him a date with the most famous athlete on the planet, and golf’s most intimidating closer, in today’s final round.
“Y.E. played just a great round of golf today,” Woods said. “It’ll be a fun day tomorrow.”
But Yang will have his hands full.
“With Woods, he’s won 70 times now, and I’ve won only once,” Yang said through an interpreter. “So it’s sort of 70-to-1 odds. So I might as well go for broke as well.”
It will be the first time Yang has played with Woods during a round, and a smile creased his face when he was asked about it.
“I’ll try not to go over par,” said Yang, who picked up his first career PGA Tour victory at the Honda Classic in March.
THE 19TH HOLE
Walking tall
Steve Flesch.
Best left-hander in the field shot 69 on Saturday and stands at even par, eight shots better than Phil Mickelson.
Padraig Harrington.
A fine effort (69, despite a bogey on 18) to cut Tiger’s lead in half.
Y.E. Yang.
You’ve probably never heard of him, but he shot a 67 on Saturday and will play in the final group with Tiger today.
Downward spiral
Phil Mickelson.
Made the cut Friday, but that’s about it. Shot 76 on Saturday and stands at 8-over-par and near the bottom of the standings.
Rich Beem.
The 2001 champion played with Woods and Harrington the first two days. They left him in the dust. He’s at 6-over after a 75 on Saturday.
Rory Sabbatini.
The Kyle Busch of the PGA Tour shot a 78 and is at 6-over. Bragging doesn’t produce low scores; good shots do.
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Tiger tales
Lead gets sliced in half.
A pretty ho-hum day for the world’s best golfer. Two birdies, one bogey and 15 pars and a 1-under-par 71 translate into a two-shot lead entering today’s final round of the PGA Championship.
His four-shot lead entering the third round had almost everyone talking about a runaway. Padraig Harrington and Y.E. Yang took care of that — Harrington shot 69 and Yang 67, and they share second place.
The most unusual hole of the day for Woods had to be No. 14. He hit his drive through the green on the short par-4, chipped over the green on his second shot, then chipped in for a birdie.
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