PGA Championship 2011: Dissecting the Day 3 Leaderboard

Round 3 of the 93rd edition of the PGA Championship is officially over. Americans Brendan Steele and Jason Dufner share the 54-hole lead, sitting at seven-under heading into Sunday's final round.

While many expected big moves from the big names, it was the not-so-big names that made a splash today on the leaderboard, not in the water hazards.

After today’s round, only two players have played all three rounds in the 60s: Brendan Steele and Scott Verplank. The best round of the day was five-under by 2001 PGA Champ David Toms. Toms won it here at the ACC.

Four-under was the second best score for a round today and was achieved by Masters Champ Charl Schwartzel, co-leader Brendan Steele, Hunter Mahan, Ben Crane and Robert Karlsson.

Steele, who is playing in his first major, started the day T7 at three-under. He shot a four-under today in a round where his only serious stumble was a double-bogey on seventh.

He made seven birdies and was sitting at eight-under heading to 18th. He bogeyed the hole to drop a shot.

Dufner started the day with a share of the lead and finished the same way. He shot two-under today. He was at five-under before birdies at the tough 15th and 16th. He saved par on the final two to remain at seven-under.

Keegan Bradley, who started tied with Dufner atop the leaderboard, shot one-under and finished at six-under. He is alone in third-place.

He started the day with a double-bogey on the initial hole, but made three birdies on the next five holes. He played even the remaining holes.

The most emphatic finish of the day was by Scott Verplank, who is in fourth place at five-under. He had bogeyed the second and double-bogeyed the third to be at three-over for the day. He played at four-under the final 15 holes, including very long birdie putts on 16th and 17th.

Steve Stricker moved up two spots to fifth after a one-under round. He played a steady round, where he was at two-under going into the sixth. He then bogeyed those next two holes and had his final birdie on 12th.

Tied for sixth at three-under are Anders Hansen and D.A. Points. Hansen’s steady even round consisted of two birdies and two bogeys. Points’ one-over round today was eventful. His back-nine was literally up-and-down.

He was at three-over for the round after his double-bogey on the eighth. Then he started a streak of eight holes where he either had a birdie or a bogey. He had birdies in five of those holes and three bogeys.

The day’s best round and biggest mover was David Toms. Toms won the PGA here in 2001 and rekindled some of the magic he had on moving day 10 years ago. He shot a five-under today and is one of five players tied for eighth-place at two-under.

Toms was even entering the back-nine. Then, at 12th, he started his move with an eagle. He continued to birdie the next two holes and capped his round with a birdie on monstrous 18th.

He is five shots out, but if the leaders come back to him and he plays another great round, he might be called Mr. ACC.

The other players tied with Toms are Masters champ Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Robert Karlsson and John Senden.

Schwartzel had a flawless four-under bogey-free round. He played the back-nine at three-under. He seems primed to make a run for the top on tomorrow’s final round. Schwartzel gained 31 spots today.

Scott played two-under today. His worst hole today was on the ninth. He had a short putt for birdie and shot it pass the side of the hole. He repeated the shot pass the side of the hole from the other side, and then sink it for bogey.

Karlsson and Senden both shot two-under today, but moved in different directions. Senden started T3 and lost five spots, while Karlson began T26 and gained 18 spots.

Just below them, tied for 13th at one-under, are the world’s top two-ranked players, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood. Also with them are Nick Watney, Ben Crane, Jim Furyk, Brendon de Jonge and Spencer Levin.

After consecutive birdies on 13th and 14th, Donald was at four-under just two shots off the lead. The he bogeyed 16th and double bogeyed 18th. Westwood was at three-under after his birdie at 10th. His only blemish today was his double-bogey on 14th.

Watney was all over the place on route to one-under for the day product of five birdies and four bogeys. He did birdied 18th so he ended on a positive note.

The rest of the notables, T20 at even-par, are Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan and Sergio Garcia. Mickelson was at two-under after birdie on 12th, but had two-bogeys after—including 18th.

Furyk started the day T3 and was at six-under after consecutive birdies on 12th and 13th. Then his game came crumbling down. He bogeyed 14th and double-bogeyed 15th and 18th. He looked well under way to be on top, but it all came down.

Kuchar, like Mickelson, was at two-under at one point. But then had two consecutive bogeys on the back-nine. After exiting the front-nine at two-over, Garcia played two-under the back to finish at even.

Mahan had the great round where he had six birdies. But had one bad hole, the eighth, where he double-bogeyed. Otherwise, he could’ve been way lower and in contention.

US Open champ Rory McIlroy is T54. He shot four-over for a total of seven-over, while Rickie Fowler is T66 after shooting five-over for a total of eight over.

The final round promises to be very interesting. Many big names are hanging around close enough that if they play well, and the top falls down to them, it will be very crowded at the top after 72 holes.