Pereira grabs three-shot lead, Woods withdraws from PGA Championship

Chile’s Mito Pereira sank a 27-foot birdie putt at the par-four 18th hole to seize a three-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the PGA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while Tiger Woods withdrew from the tournament after limping to a nine-over-par 79.

Even without Woods, however, with the leaderboard’s top six each seeking a first major title and a trio of major winners just behind them, the scene was set for a Sunday showdown at Southern Hills.

Pereira, making only his second major start, fired a one-under-par 69 to finish 54 holes on nine-under 201. He’s the first player to hold an outright 54-hole lead in his PGA debut since winner John Daly in 1991.

“Really happy how I ended up playing,” Pereira said. “The birdie on 18 was a bonus. Just happy to be in this position.”

England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick and American Will Zalatoris shared second on 204, one stroke ahead of American Cameron Young with Mexico’s Abraham Ancer fifth on 206 and Irishman Seamus Power sixth on 207.

The top major winners in the hunt were Americans Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas and Stewart Cink, who shared seventh on 208, seven adrift of Pereira.

The South African contingent were struggling ahead of the final round, with only four of 11 players making the cut.

Shaun Norris, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel were in a tie for 60th place at seven-over par – 16 shots behind Pereira – while Justin Harding was one shot further back.

Woods, meanwhile, withdrew from a major for the first time as a professional and only the second time ever following the 1995 US Open, after battling with pain in his comeback from severe leg injuries.

Having struggled to the third-worst major round of his career with pain in his surgically repaired right leg, the 15-time major winner would not commit to playing Sunday’s final round at Southern Hills.

“Well, I’m sore,” Woods said. “I know that is for a fact. We’ll do some work and see how it goes.”

It didn’t go well, and just after the round was completed, Woods let organizers know he was done.

“We admire Tiger’s valiant effort to compete here at Southern Hills and wish him the best as he continues to recover from his injuries,” said PGA of America president Jim Richerson.

Woods made five consecutive bogeys at a major for the first time in his career from the ninth through 13th holes and stood on 12-over 222 after 54 holes when he pulled the plug.

“I didn’t do anything right,” Woods said. “I didn’t hit many good shots. Consequently I ended up with a pretty high score.”