I wrote that Saturday’s back nine stretch at Valhalla was the best stretch of major championship golf this year. We were set up perfectly for more on Sunday, and we’ve already matched it early on the front nine. After Phil Mickelson rolled in two birdies and jumped up in to a share of the lead with Rory McIlroy, Fowler the decided to pass everyone up with three straight red numbers.
Rickie Fowler chips in top PGA Championship leaderboard
After three straight top 5s at the majors, Rickie Fowler finally has sole possession of the lead at a major championship this year.
The third birdie, coming on a chip in from the side of the green at No. 5, broke a five-way tie at the top and put him in sole possession of the lead. It also earned him a fist bump from his competitor and playing partner, Mickelson.
Mickelson and Fowler are both under the instruction of Butch Harmon and play practice rounds together at every tournament. It’s pretty fun to watch them play side-by-side in the penultimate group at a major, especially with both pouring in birdies to challenge McIlroy right out of the gate.
Fowler, who is playing the best golf of his life, is trying to join Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to finish inside the top five in all four majors in a single season. That looks to be a good bet at this point.
Here’s an updated leaderboard, which continues to shuffle as a soft Valhalla is carved up by the best players in the world.
| Place | Player | Score | Today | Thru |
| 1 | Rickie Fowler | -13 | -2 | 5 |
| T2 | Henrik Stenson | -12 | -3 | 5 |
| T2 | Phil Mickelson | -12 | -2 | 5 |
| T2 | Bernd Wiesberger | -12 | E | 5 |
| T2 | Rory McIlroy | -12 | 1 | 5 |
| T6 | Ernie Els | -11 | -6 | 13 |
| T6 | Mikko Ilonen | -11 | -2 | 5 |
| T6 | Jason Day | -11 | -1 | 5 |
| 9 | Louis Oosthuizen | -10 | -1 | 5 |
| T10 | Jimmy Walker | -9 | -4 | 13 |
| T10 | Jim Furyk | -9 | -2 | 8 |
| T10 | Lee Westwood | -9 | -2 | 8 |
| T13 | Charl Schwartzel | -8 | -4 | 17 |
| T13 | Justin Rose | -8 | -4 | 15 |
| T13 | Marc Warren | -8 | -3 | 10 |
| T13 | Brooks Koepka | -8 | -3 | 10 |
| T13 | Brandt Snedeker | -8 | -2 | 9 |
| T13 | Hunter Mahan | -8 | -1 | 7 |
| T13 | Steve Stricker | -8 | E | 6 |
| T13 | Graham DeLaet | -8 | E | 6 |
| T13 | Jamie Donaldson | -8 | E | 6 |
| T13 | Ryan Palmer | -8 | 1 | 6 |
| T23 | Alexander Levy | -7 | -2 | 14 |
| T23 | Bill Haas | -7 | -1 | 9 |
| T23 | Victor Dubuisson | -7 | -1 | 9 |
| T23 | Joost Luiten | -7 | E | 8 |
| T23 | Kevin Chappell | -7 | E | 8 |
| T23 | Adam Scott | -7 | E | 7 |
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