Good PGA Day for Jason

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Jason Day was a model of composure under pressure as he held off history-chasing Jordan Spieth to clinch his first major title at the 97th PGA Championship.

The Australian got off to a hot start and held his nerve down the stretch to card a closing five-under 67 and seal an impressive three-shot win over Spieth, who at least had the consolation of replacing Rory McIlroy at the top of the world rankings.

Day led by two overnight, and he stole a march on Spieth with a birdie at the second before the young Texan hit back at the next only to make his first mistake of the round at the fourth to hand back the initiative.

The pair then matched each other's birdies at the next two holes, and Day made it three in a row when he drained a monster 50-foot putt for a thrilling two at the par-three seventh.

A poor drive into sand cost Day a shot at the eighth, but Spieth bogeyed the ninth while Justin Rose moved into contention with back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 that lifted him to within two shots of the lead.

But Rose's challenge effectively ended when he double-bogeyed the 13th, while Branden Grace ran up a costly six at the 10th which put paid to his chances after he stormed into the mix with four birdies in five holes on the front nine.

Spieth's birdie at 10 was negated when Day replied in kind at the long 11th, and the nine-time major runner-up closed the door again with a superb approach to 10 feet from a fairway bunker at the 14th to set up a birdie after Spieth had holed from 12 feet on the previous hole.

Four ahead with four to play, Day offered a glimmer of hope when he failed to get up and down from greenside rough at the 15th, but two mighty blows to the 16th set up an easy two-putt for birdie after Spieth had splashed out to three feet from an awkward lie in the sand.

Day safely two-putted from distance to match Spieth's par at 17 and he closed out a memorable victory with a cast-iron par at the last to post a winning score of 20 under par.

After winning the Masters and US Open, Spieth had to settle for fourth at the Open Championship and his runner-up finish at Whistling Straits completed the best set of performances in the majors in one year since Tiger Woods' historic season in 2000.

Grace won the race for third when he converted a superb tee-shot to six feet at the 17th and parred the last for a 69 that saw him finish on 15 under, one ahead of Rose after the Englishman bogeyed the last to hand in a 70.

Brooks Koepka soared into the top five with a riveting 66 featuring six birdies and an eagle, the American finishing in a tie for fifth with Anirban Lahiri, who finished off a career-defining tournament with a commendable 68 to close on 13 under.

Dustin Johnson put together one of the more amazing rounds in major history, recovering from a horrible quadruple-bogey eight at the first to salvage a 69 which included two eagles in a sensational back-nine 31.

Defending champion McIlroy, playing his first event since the US Open after suffering ankle ligament damage, had to be content with 17th place on nine under after carding a solid four-birdie 69.

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Good Day in Kohler

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Jason Day and Matt Jones vaulted into a share of the lead at the 97th PGA Championship before the second round was suspended due to fierce thunderstorms at Whistling Straits.

The Australian pair were both five under for the day as they moved to nine under for the tournament, while Justin Rose was just a shot behind with one hole of his second round to complete when the players were forced to scurry for shelter.

Jordan Spieth is safely in the clubhouse well-placed on six under after an excellent 67 put him in good shape for the weekend, but Rory McIlroy has ground to make up after another day of frustration on the greens in a second consecutive 71.

On a day of low scoring, Hiroshi Iwata matched the best round in major history with a sparkling 63 that propelled him over 100 places up the leaderboard, while David Lingmerth claimed the clubhouse lead on seven under following a remarkable 70 that featured only five pars.

As overnight leader Dustin Johnson struggled to find his rhythm, Day's all-round game was in fine order as he birdied three of the first six holes before giving one back at the ninth after bunkering his approach.

Day responded with a run of three consecutive birdies from the 11th, and he had just found the green with his approach to the 15th before the sirens sounded to signal the players to leave the course.

"I'm glad that we are in," said Day. "It can get a little dangerous out there. It's a good idea to come back in the morning."

Jones started on the 10th and reeled off birdies at 11, 12 and 13 before adding another at the 18th to cap a back-nine 32, and he picked up a fifth birdie of a flawless day at the second.

He was on the fourth when play was called off for the day, while Rose was on the 18th tee having birdied three of his previous four holes following an entertaining outward nine in which he carded four birdies and a scrappy double-bogey six at the fourth.

Rose admitted it was going to be "a bit of a drag" to face a 5am alarm call for the scheduled 7am restart on Saturday, but joked: "I opened my big mouth to the boys I was playing with and said the end was in sight. Thirty seconds later they blew the horn, so my name was mud walking up the 18th."

Lingmerth raced to eight under with three birdies in the first five holes, but he then double-bogeyed the seventh and bogeyed the next two before starting the back-nine with four birdies in five holes while dropping further shots at 11 and 15.

The Swede closed out an amazing 70 with a 35-foot putt for birdie at the last, but it was Iwata who grabbed the majority of the headlines as he fired an eagle, eight birdies and one bogey to card the 27th round of 63 in the majors, the 34-year-old covering the back nine at Whistling Straits in just 29 to improve on his opening 77 by 14 shots.

Spieth began the day five shots off the pace and tipping playing partner McIlroy to make a move up the leaderboard, but it was the Masters and US Open champion who took advantage of the benign early conditions to shoot 67.

Defending champion McIlroy double-bogeyed the 18th hole, having begun on the back nine, and chipped in for an eagle on the second in an eventful second consecutive 71 to finish two under par.

But Tiger Woods looked certain to miss the halfway cut for the third straight major as he slumped to four over with five to play - two shots outside the projected cut.

The 39-year-old then announced he had committed to play in next week's Wyndham Championship in a last-gasp bid to qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs.

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Rory McIlroy is Back

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Rory McIlroy has confirmed he will defend his US PGA Championship this week and says his ankle is "100 per cent" ready.

The world No 1 has declared himself fully fit and will tee-up at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin having not played a competitive round since June 21.

The 26-year-old has been sidelined since rupturing ligaments in his left ankle while playing football with friends in early July.

Subsequently, McIlroy was forced to sidestep the Scottish Open, the 144th Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but after playing a practice round at Whistling Straits on Saturday says he is ready for his title defence.

He said: "To play golf my ankle's 100 per cent. To go back on a soccer pitch, it wouldn't be quite ready. But to do what I need to do this week, it's 100 per cent.

"It actually feels better when I go at it as hard as I want because my left foot sort of spins out of the way whenever I hit the driver anyway.

"If my left foot was to stay completely flat, like roll on to the left side like a lot of guys do, then it would obviously create a few problems.

“Because mine sort of spins out of the way, it takes a lot of pressure off it."

Since the injury, McIlroy has spent time in Portugal and he hopes he will be competitive enough to force his way into contention on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier this year he took seven weeks off before returning to action to finish second in the Desert Swing.

He added: "I think it's just the competitiveness of feeling what it's like to play a tournament.

"It's OK coming back to play Abu Dhabi as your first week back, but playing a major, it's a bit different.

"Just that sharpness and competitive edge, that's the thing you really hope is there when you come back."

And if McIlroy requires reassurances, then he needs to remember the achievement of Tiger Woods in 2008 when the American won the US Open at Torrey Pines having not teed-up since the Masters two months earlier.

McIlroy also admitted he was able to practice his short game while wearing a protective boot on his injured ankle. He told the Daily Mail: "I've been chipping and putting basically since it happened, with my protective boot on.

"I did think about coming back last week at the Bridgestone but Steve (McGregor, his fitness coach) held me back.

“He thought it important for me to basically play a tournament behind closed doors and after I completed that successfully, it felt the right time to come."

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McGinley Downplays Rory Struggles

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Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy's current struggles should be kept in perspective as the former world number one gets the defence of his US PGA Championship under way at Oak Hill.

McIlroy won five times last year, including his second major by eight shots at Kiawah Island, to finish top of the money list on both sides of the Atlantic.

But he has recorded only one top-five finish in a turbulent 2013 that saw him damage his reputation by walking off the course during his defence of the Honda Classic and bending one of his new clubs out of shape during the final round of the US Open.

In the majors he has managed just one round under 70 - a closing 69 in the US Masters - and is a collective 28 over par after missing the cut in the Open after rounds of 79 and 75.

That opening round at Muirfield led McIlroy to offer a withering assessment of his own performance, labelling it "brain dead," but McGinley is not overly concerned.

"We are all in the game of professional golf, we all know there's ups and downs. We've all experienced them," McGinley said.

"Tom Watson was in here earlier, and nobody can tell you more about the ups and downs in the game than he's had, and look at his career; Jack Nicklaus, something similar.

"Tiger Woods is on a high and this time a year ago or two years ago, he was on a real low. So we all know what it's like and I think Rory knows that as well, too.

"Everybody has got a public opinion about Rory and everybody wants to throw their weight in and say he needs to do this and he needs to do that. To be honest I don't want to add to that and say Rory needs to do this and needs to do that.

"He knows I'm supportive of him. I'm there if he wants to call. I don't want to get too much involved in what he's doing. It's his own private life and circle of friends and people around him.

"Just because I'm Ryder Cup captain I don't feel like it's my right or my duty to get involved in what he's doing in his life. I think he's got some good people around him. He's making some decisions. He's making some adjustments in his life.

"If you look over the spectrum of his career, we are talking about a small part of his career the last six or seven months. That will be a little bit insignificant.

"As things move on and time goes on, he will get his form back and he'll have his success again and we'll be thinking, 'Oh yeah, I remember when he was off his game'."

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Rory Seeks Another Day at the Beach

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Rory McIlroy remains confident of putting up a strong defence of his USPGA Championship title at Oak Hill this week.

The world No 3 showed glimpses of his best at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but he again struggled with his accuracy off the tee as he finished 17 shots behind runaway winner Tiger Woods after a final-day 72.

The defending champion has been working hard to correct flaws in his long game over the past fortnight, and he insists he still has the ability to turn his form around at the final major of the season.

"I definitely had a better week last year, coming out of Firestone with a lot of confidence going into the PGA, feeling good about my game," said McIlroy, who tied for fifth at Firestone last season before romping to a record eight-shot win at Kiawah Island.

"I keep saying my game doesn't feel too far away. It's obviously not where I want it to be, but it's not a million miles away.

"I thought I struck the ball much better in the final round than I did the previous three days, which was great, which was a good sign.

"Obviously I didn't score very well the first day, then I didn't hit it particularly well in the middle two rounds, but actually my short game was good and was able to keep myself around par.

"On Sunday I played nicely, just a couple of bad holes on the back nine. But I have put in a lot of work for the past couple of weeks and I definitely feel things are going in the right direction.

"Once I get my long game back on track, I feel like my short game is exactly where it needs to be. If I can start hitting some fairways, hopefully I can challenge for some tournaments."

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Magic McIlroy Blasts to Second Major

Players were wary of the winds whipping off the Atlantic Ocean this week. But in reality it was Rory McIlroy who blew away the field at a second major championship on Sunday, winning the 94th PGA Championship at the Ocean Course by a record eight shots.

McIlroy’s first title at the 2011 U.S. Open came in equally impressive fashion as he won by eight at Congressional Country Club. He has now won two of the last seven majors, converting third-round leads into victory twice in three attempts.

McIlroy didn’t make a bogey on Sunday in shooting 66 — the first player to do so since Phil Mickelson won the 2010 Masters. With the victory, McIlroy, who birdied the 72nd hole and joyfully lifted his arms in celebration, eclipsed Jack Nicklaus’ record margin of victory, accomplished in the 1980 PGA at Oak Hill.

Sunday’s most oft-repeated comparisons, though, were between McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

McIlroy has now won his second major at the age of 23 years, 3 months and 8 days old while Woods was 23 years, 7 months and 15 days old when he added the 1999 PGA to his resume.

And in case anyone was wondering, Jack Nicklaus was 23 years, 2 months and 17 days old when he picked up his second major at the 1963 Masters.

Woods had only played 12 majors as a pro when he won for the second time — three less than McIlroy. But the young man from Northern Ireland’s two wins came by a combined total of 15 strokes, three more than Woods beat the fields in his two wins.

The victory also propelled McIlroy back to No. 1 in the world and second in the FedExCup.

Tiger Tames Kiawah Island

Tiger Woods is on target to win his 15th major after emerging as the joint halfway leader on a brutally difficult second day in the USPGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

Joint 14th after an opening 69, four-time USPGA champion Woods made a significant move towards landing his first major since 2008 and regaining the world number one spot with a battling 71 in the fierce winds.

It was spoilt somewhat by a closing three-putt bogey but just as he was at the US Open in June, Woods is the halfway leader.

Tied with Woods at four-under are Vijay Singh, whose 69 in the morning was the only sub-70 round of the day, and first round leader Carl Pettersson.

England's Ian Poulter would have been alongside them but for also three-putting the last for a 71.

Woods said: "For some reason the putts were going in early on, but a couple of times I got blown and had to make an adjustment.

"It was just one of those tough days. Fun, but really tough and there was no such thing as an easy tap-in.

In good shape

"We don't play courses like this. It's not a typical PGA Championship venue, but I'm in good shape."

Pettersson led by two after holing out from sand at the first - his 10th - but had a hat-trick of bogeys from the sixth and so had to settle for a 74.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Welshman Jamie Donaldson, meanwhile, have two strokes to make up after scoring 75 and 73 respectively.

McIlroy, joint second overnight, needed to dig deep when he had four bogeys in the first 13 holes, but even though he dropped another stroke at the 15th it came either side of two birdies.

"It was tough," the 23-year-old said. "It was hard getting the ball on the fairway and then onto the green - and then on the green is probably the most difficult bit.

"I could have been a couple of shots better, but I limited the damage and I'm in a good position."

Graeme McDowell, four-under overnight, fell back to level par with a 76, while world number one Luke Donald had the same score and after a long wait to learn his fate squeezed into the final 36 holes with nothing to spare at six-over.

"I actually played decent and got nothing out of it," Donald said. "I hung in there pretty well and I hit a lot of shots that I thought would give me a putt for birdie and I ended up taking bogey.

"The frustration builds, but I'm not making any excuses. There's still other things to look for and it makes me more determined to keep working hard."

Donald was not alone in thinking he had probably got the wrong end of the draw.

Padraig Harrington also shot 76 to drop back to two-over and Justin Rose's 79 saw him tumble from three-under to four-over.

Paul Lawrie, close to securing a Ryder Cup return after 13 years, shot 75 for four-over - three worse than compatriot Martin Laird (74) - while Simon Dyson crashed to an 80 and struggling Paul Casey an 85 including two eights.

Last year's Open champion Darren Clarke had a 76 for five-over, while stablemate Lee Westwood missed the cut after a 77 left him at eight-over.

Rory McIlroy Loves the US Grass

Rory McIlroy wants to feel the "buzz" of being in contention at the US PGA after struggling in recent majors.

The world number two from Northern Ireland has failed to challenge at five majors since winning the US Open by eight shots last year.

"I'm disappointed that I have not contended (in majors) since," he said. "I haven't given myself even a chance.

"It would be great to feel that buzz again - of getting into contention in a major and remembering how it feels."

McIlroy tied for 40th at the Masters in April, after closing with scores of 77 and 76.

He then missed the cut at San Francisco's Olympic Club on his US Open title defence and finished joint 60th at last month's British Open.

Asked to assess his 2012 campaign, McIlroy replied: "It's been good. There were a few goals I set myself early at the start of the year, which I achieved; getting to number one in the world, playing well, winning a tournament early.

"The second half of the season has been a little bit more of a struggle but I feel like I'm playing pretty well.

"If I had to give my season a grade to this point, I'd probably give it a 'B'. And I've still got a lot of good golf to look forward to."

McIlroy likes the look of the ultra-long, 7,676-yard Ocean Course at Kiawah Island which will host the year's final major.

"It's a long golf course, a big golf course, a golf course you not only have to hit it well, but you really have to think about what you're doing out there," he added.

"You really have to pick your spots where you want to hit it, and obviously with the weather the way it's been this week, that's going to play a pretty big factor, too.

"But you know, I like what I see. I think the course is in phenomenal shape. I love the greens. I love the paspalum (grass). I think the ball rolls really, really well so I'm looking forward to the week."

Donald Inspired by Olympic Spirit

Luke Donald will again try to win his first major this week, but this time will do so having been inspired and motivated by Britain's success at the Olympics.

The Englishman spoke while dodging thunderstorms at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, where the USPGA Championship - starting on Thursday - will be his 38th attempt to land one of golf's four biggest titles.

'It's good to know hard work pays off - I've always tried to think in those terms,' the world No 1 said today.

Donald watched Andy Murray beat Roger Federer during a rain delay in Akron on Sunday and has tried to capture as much of the London action as possible, although much of it is been shown delayed on American television.

'That takes the edge off when you know who's going to win, but I think Mo Farah's last lap was pretty special and obviously Jessica Ennis, living up to the expectation that was put on her shoulders,' said Donald.

'She was kind of the poster child for the Olympic Games.

'They're all inspiring in their own way. The fact that you have one event every four years to really work hard, to see some of the guys who don't perform and to see some of the guys that perform and win gold, I mean, there's a lot of raw emotions there.

'And watching certainly has inspired me a lot in terms of having that wish to be there in four years, to have an opportunity to also win a gold medal.'

Golf will be back as part of the Games in Rio after a gap of more than 100 years, and to be there Donald will either have to be in the world's top 15 still or one of Britain's top-two players.

The final major of the season inevitably flies under the radar this week as the Olympics continue, but that will not make victory taste any less sweet for the 34-year-old, who saw his fifth-placed finish in The Open three weeks ago as something of a breakthrough.

It was not where he came, but more how he felt that Donald takes heart from - especially after the bitter disappointment of missing the halfway cut at the US Open in June.

'Coming off the US Open I was very disappointed how I kind of handled the situation mentally,' Donald said.

'I didn't come in hitting the ball that great and maybe that added to some of the anxiety.

'But certainly I think there was a little bit of a breakthrough, just realising at the Open Championship that no matter how I'm hitting it physically there's always a way to mentally be on top.

'I did that very well and as a result I also played pretty well.'

The last 16 majors have been won by 16 different players - Ernie Els was the latest to joint the list at Royal Lytham - and Donald hopes he can be the one to take it to 17.

'I guess the longer the streak goes, the more encouragement it gives to those guys who haven't yet won a major, like myself. But I'm not sure if it changes anything for me.

'I continue to focus on what I can do and hopefully give myself a chance on Sunday.'

Tiger Woods, who has now gone over four years since the last of his 14 majors, can also become the 17th.

Woods had chances at both the US Open and Open, but fell back to 21st in San Francisco and had to settle for third in Lancashire.

With three tournament wins he describes it as "a pretty good year", but knows this is his last opportunity of 2012 to turn it into a great one.

'I'm pleased at the way I was able to play at certain times and obviously disappointed that I did not win,' Woods said.

'I've played in three major championships this year (he was only 40th at The Masters), and I didn't win any of them - that's the goal.

'Things have progressed, but not winning a major championship doesn't feel very good.'

Woods also hopes to become an Olympian in four years' time at the age of 40.

'Since we haven't done it in a very long time, it'll be something else to be able to represent our country like that in the Olympic Games,' he said.