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Thoughts have inevitably turned towards how Tyrrell Hatton may celebrate victory here. Not only was the Englishman denied proper euphoria when claiming the PGA Championship in 2020 – those were Covid times – but he started this week depicting himself waking up in a pool of his own vomit after qualifying for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
Hatton forms part of the European contingent who will fly to New York for a scouting mission as soon as this tournament ends. He may have a trophy for hand luggage and further partying in mind.
His 64 was the standout round of day three on the West Course. He sits two behind the Frenchman Adrien Saddier and the resurgent Swede Alex Norén with 18 holes to play. Saddier and Norén are 15 under par.
“We’ll be on a flight. I don’t know,” said Hatton when asked how he may mark success. “There’s a lot of golf left to play. All I want to do tomorrow is play well and give myself a chance.
“Winning would mean a lot. When I last played here, in 2023, I finished second and had a putt on the last that I hoped would at least get me in a playoff. I holed it but Ryan Fox went and birdied the last. It was still special to finish the week with a full grandstand on 18 and the support I’ve had this week has been amazing again.”
Stumbles, surprising ones, from some of the favourites at the head of proceedings have opened this event right up. Ludvig Åberg slipped to a 73, Justin Rose a 76 and Hideki Matsuyama the same. Viktor Hovland’s 71 was excellent in context of his fellow illustrious names. Hovland is three from the lead. There are 18 players within six of Saddier and Norén. Harry Hall, Matt Fitzpatrick and Patrick Reed are notable at minus 10.
Had Norén timed this run only slightly differently, he would be a Ryder Cup player rather than a vice-captain. The 43-year-old’s win at the British Masters last month was his first for seven years on the DP World Tour. A member of the successful European team of 2018, Norén would have been a valuable Bethpage addition in this form.
Rory McIlroy has produced 17 birdies in three rounds with his five under par total the consequence of big errors elsewhere. He has played the last two holes in an aggregate of four over par. Saturday included a double-bogey seven at the 17th.
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“I am holing a lot of putts and I’m hitting a lot of good shots,” he said. “Seventeen birdies is definitely good. Whatever happens tomorrow, I’ll concentrate on the amount of birdies I’ve made this week and I am pretty sure that’s a decent way to play in a matchplay format.” In other words, McIlroy plans to peak at the Ryder Cup.
Bob MacIntyre, another of Europe’s Ryder Cup team, will have a free day he would rather have avoided after missing the third-round cut, implemented after 86 competitors made it past 36 holes.
