Playing only his seventh Major, Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri set himself up nicely for a career-best finish as he turned in a two-under 70 to be tied eighth after the third round of the PGA Championship here.
He will play in the fourth last group on Sunday alongside Matt Kuchar.
Lahiri, winner of the Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open earlier this season, came onto the Whistling Straits course early yesterday to complete his remaining five holes from second round and then less than three hours later began his third round.
He birdied three of the five -- a hat-trick from fifth to seventh -- remaining second round holes and then added five birdies against three bogeys in the third round.
Lying tied eighth, Lahiri will now play his final round with Matt Kuchar of the US, while Jason Day (66) will go in the lead group with Jordan Spieth (65), who already owns two of this year's Majors - the Masters and US Open.
Day, who has nine top-10s in Majors, but has never won, is 15-under 201, while Spieth is 13-under 203.
Tiger Woods (75-73) missed the third successive cut in a Major, while defending champion Rory McIlroy -- making a comeback from injury -- is tied 17th with rounds of 71-71-68.
Speaking on plans for final round, Lahiri said, "You're going to have to come out with a hot start if you want to have a chance, because there are birdies on this golf course. And these guys are good. You've got to play great. That's what I'm going to try to do."
"Well, you had to drive it well, and I did that. But I just didn't take my opportunities. I gave myself quite a few, but a little disappointed not to score. I scored poorly today."
But he also said, "I'm happy with the way I hit it. (But) Quite frustrated with my score. I didn't really make anything inside ten feet. So it's kind of one of those rounds that could have been, I think, but I'm going to have to play lights out tomorrow. I'm going to make more putts tomorrow."
With the course giving in a lot of good scores yesterday, Lahiri started his third round in style with birdies on first and second.
He hit a fine drive and a nice approach to 10 feet and holed his first birdie. Then despite finding the left rough on second with his drive, he hit his next shot to 77 yards and chipped nicely to five feet and holed his birdie putt on par-five second.
