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2022 PGA Championship: Can Zalatoris, Matthew Fitzpatrick among 5 golfers start on Sunday


TULSA, Okla. – The most unpredictable major tournament in years broke out at Southern Hills Country Club as we entered the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship. Mito Pereira (-9), who won 175-1 this time on last week on Caesars Sportsbook, somehow three strokes after 54 holes while fighting the best players on the planet. He’s also suddenly become an almost unexpected favorite to take home his first PGA Tour win in the biggest slot imaginable.

Pereira closed as we thought the better players behind him could. He made three birdies in his last six holes after a twist in the middle of his round left him looking vulnerable and swayed by potential runs from Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris and (briefly) Rory McIlroy. It’s the stuff of champions, and his reward now is a pack of rich chases that will make him as nervous as he was when he just started his second major championship.

What’s even crazier than Pereira being in the lead is the fact that all six of the top six on the 54-hole leaderboard have combined to win just two PGA Tour events and no career majors. their. The final two games of the 2021 PGA Championship featured twice as many major championships (10) than this year’s final two games topped 10 major championships (five).

Will Mito Pereira (!) really win the big championship? That’s the question floating around the Southern Hills right now, and the answer is that it’s certainly within the realm of possibility. Even if he doesn’t, someone will almost certainly experience a life-changing day on Sunday because of the following stat: The last 33 major champions either leading or trailing within four after 54 holes.

If that stat holds, then Pereira, Zalatoris, Matthew Fitzpatrick or Cameron Young will have a big trophy on Sunday night. Otherwise, something truly historic will happen.

Either way, Sunday will be special because big Sundays are always special. And almost always, there will be a time or maybe a few times where the whole tournament is going on and no one knows how it will end. Because that will be the case, we need to discuss players who have a good chance of catching Pereira.

Let’s take a look at the five most likely candidates.

1. Does Zalatoris (-6): I mentioned that the last 4 in the matchups only have the top 5 in the major championships. Zalatoris has four of them. He has “future star” written all over him, and he is a player who, when we look back at the 2022 PGA Championship 10 years from now, will leave us speechless: Well, that’s definitely an interesting and unexpected champion.” Zalatoris kicked off the lead early Saturday after coming off at 39 and turning a one-stroke lead into a four-stroke deficit on the sixth hole. Life comes to you quickly. The pitcher eventually let him down on Saturday, but Zalatoris can certainly win this tournament from tee to Green Sunday. Out of everyone in the top six on the leaderboard, he scores the most in approach shots. He’ll bring to the fight Sunday in a way that might surprise those unaware of his portfolio and potential.

2. Matt Fitzpatrick (-6): The former US amateur champion has a less than impressive major championship record, but he’s having the best season of his career on the PGA Tour. There are many conflicting scenarios going on here with Fitzpatrick. He is weaker than the players above him from tee to green, and most of his success this week has come in short play. However, he also has one of the best short games on the planet, so it’s no wonder he builds scores this way. The big test for him on Sunday will be whether his lackluster shot can stand if conditions turn tough and superstars start to charge. Regardless, this is his best chance at winning a major.

3. Cameron Young (-5): It’s surprising that Young doesn’t get more love as a young American star. The 25-year-old son of a PGA pro has had a fantastic season, finishing in second place three times (including in the mighty Riviera in February), finishing forever (second in distance). drive this week after McIlroy) and have the look of a future star on the PGA Tour. However, it will also be his first Sunday at a major, and he will feel some things he never did on the Korn Ferry Tour. I don’t think Young will win, but this weekend at the Southern Hills will be the perfect preparation for when he plays two years from now.

4. Abraham Ancer (-4): Ancer has been solid all week, but he will need some help from above. The issue here is a combination of how many players are in front of him and how far away. If there are many players up front but the total lead is only two or three, I can see Ancer have won the state where he went to college. Conversely, if there were fewer players ahead of him – and even if the leader was five times bigger than him – then I might as well be talked about. However, unless Pereira, Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick all pull back on Sunday, it’s hard to see Ancer fire 66 to go get them and claim the victory of his life.

5. Justin Thomas (-2): At the age of seven again, he’s almost certainly too buried in this table to win his second PGA championship. However, he is the only player in the top 10 with enough firepower to create something special on Sunday and he is also the only player on the pitch who can infuse this tournament with excitement. that it needs (and has been known for over a decade). If we win the 2021 riders championship JT cycle riding around the corners and hitting everything at a high early, there will be a buzz of hope absent during the week at Southern Hills. Of course, it probably won’t happen, because such outcomes are rare. However, as always, the question is worth asking: What if it happens?

Rick Gehman, Mark Immelman and Jonathan Coachman recap Saturday’s action from Southern Hills. Follow and listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.





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