Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy carded a four-under-par round of 66 Friday to move to 9-under par for the tournament and take a one-shot lead entering the final round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club (East Course) in Rochester, New York.

McIlroy, 34, made seven birdies against just one bogey during his round, including a 15-foot putt on the 11th to extend his lead. His score moved him past American Xander Schauffele Xander Schauffele, who shot a two-under 69 to sit at 8 under, and South African Branden Grace, who also carded 69 to sit at 7 under.

McIlroy’s round lifts him into contention

McIlroy’s round followed a Saturday-Wednesday schedule disrupted by rain delays. Despite the weather, Oak Hill’s firm and fast greens rewarded aggressive play, with McIlroy capitalizing on every opportunity. His round included birdies at Nos. 2, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 16, while his lone bogey came at the par-3 14th after a missed putt.

American Tiger Woods Tiger Woods, chasing his fifth PGA title, added a one-under 70 to sit at 7 under—two shots adrift of McIlroy. Woods, playing ahead of McIlroy, posted bogeys at Nos. 6 and 17 but recovered with birdies at Nos. 11 and 15 to remain in contention.

Remaining field faces final-round challenge

Defending champion Brooks Koepka shot a two-over 73 to fall to 4 under, while American Jon Rahm Jon Rahm added a one-under 69 to sit at 5 under. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler Scottie Scheffler carded a one-over 72, leaving him two shots behind Woods.

With the weather forecast dry for Saturday’s final round, players will face Oak Hill’s challenging layout, which has historically favored accurate iron play and precise putting. McIlroy, seeking his second PGA Championship title after his 2012 victory, now holds the clubhouse lead but knows Woods and Schauffele will be pushing hard to overturn it.

If McIlroy holds his nerve, he could become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to win the PGA Championship wire-to-wire. His final-round pairing with Woods could add extra drama to an already tense finish.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Sky Sports
  • Published: May 16, 2026 at 20:18 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #sky-sports · #football · #premier-league · #ilroy · #championship · #story

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 16, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O título mais almejado no mundo do golfe está prestes a ter um novo campeão, e o irlandês Rory McIlroy deu um passo gigantesco rumo ao caneco da PGA Championship ao cravar um 66 (-4) na terceira rodada, assumindo a liderança com dois shots de vantagem sobre os principais perseguidores, entre eles o lendário Tiger Woods. Em um dia perfeito em Oak Hill, McIlroy mostrou por que é um dos maiores talentos da história do esporte, enquanto Woods, em busca de mais um troféu para enriquecer sua coleção, viu sua chance de título escapar mais uma vez.

A PGA Championship, um dos quatro majors do calendário profissional, tem peso especial para os brasileiros, especialmente após a histórica vitória de Will Zalatoris no ano passado, que colocou o país no mapa do golfe mundial. Embora McIlroy seja um dos favoritos naturais ao título, a presença de Woods — ídolo de gerações — mantém a atenção global, inclusive a dos fãs brasileiros que acompanham cada movimento do esporte. Para McIlroy, uma vitória nesta edição seria um marco pessoal, já que ele busca seu segundo título da PGA e o quinto major de sua carreira, após uma sequência de frustrações em finais recentes.

Agora, tudo depende do último ato neste domingo: McIlroy, com os nervos de aço que o caracterizam, tentará segurar a liderança, enquanto Woods e Xander Schauffele farão de tudo para encurtar a diferença, em uma batalha que pode entrar para a história do golfe.