NEWS

9 takeaways from Saturday at the 2017 Senior PGA Championship

By Pat Kravitz
Published on
9 takeaways from Saturday at the 2017 Senior PGA Championship

1: SINGH IS 54-HOLE LEADER AT KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
A pair of World Golf Hall of Famers occupy the top two spots on the leaderboard at the 78th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, as Vijay Singh leads Bernhard Langer by a single stroke. Singh (-15) fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday to leap Langer (-14), who entered the third round with a two-shot advantage. Langer carded a 70 on Saturday, but only after completing the final five holes of his second round early this morning. Billy Andrade (-12) and Bob Estes (-10) reside in third and fourth place, respectively, but are within striking distance.

VIEW THE LEADERBOARD

2: SINGH’S SCORING
At 15-under-par through three rounds, Vijay Singh has tied the second-best 54-hole mark in relation to par in the 78-year history of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The standard was set by Sam Snead in 1973, when he was 17-under entering the final round. Like Singh, Jack Nicklaus (1991) and Doug Tewell (2000) were 15-under-par after three rounds. Snead, Nicklaus and Tewell each lifted the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy one day after posting their stellar 54-holes marks.

3: CAN SINGH OR LANGER BE NO. 19?
If Vijay Singh (Class of 2006) or Bernhard Langer (Class of 2002) win on Sunday, they would become the 19th member of the World Golf Hall of Fame to win the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The following 18 Hall of Famers hoisted the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy during their careers: Tommy Bolt (WGHOF Class of 2002), Julius Boros (1982), Roberto De Vicenzo (1989), Raymond Floyd (1989), Jock Hutchison (2011), Hale Irwin (1992), Colin Montgomerie (2013), Jack Nicklaus (1974), Arnold Palmer (1974), Gary Player (1974), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1992), Paul Runyan (1990), Gene Sarazen (1974), Charlie Sifford (2004), Sam Snead (1974), Peter Thomson (1988), Lee Trevino (1981) and Tom Watson (1988).

4: STAT STUFFERS
Bernhard Langer’s success thus far can be attributed to his ability to hit fairways and greens. Through three rounds, the 59-year-old has hit 39 of 42 fairways (93%) and 44 of 54 greens (81%) in regulation, both of which lead the field at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Third-round leader Vijay Singh has tackled the course with his field-leading 291-yard average driving distance, while Billy Andrade, who currently sits three strokes back in third place, has the fewest total putts in the field (79) and the most one-putts (28).

5: HOLE-IN-ONE ALERT
Stephen Ames, the 53-year-old from Vancouver, Canada, recorded a hole-in-one using a 6-iron on the par-3 15th, which played 166 yards during Saturday’s third round.

WATCH: Stephen Ames aces 15 at the Senior PGA Championship

6: NO WIND, NO PROBLEM
Following a round-two average of 76.06, the course and weather offered much more generous conditions during Saturday’s third round with an average of 71.45. The field’s third-round bogey rate was 14%, down 12% from the second round that featured 35 mile-per-hour wind gusts. Conversely, the birdie rate improved from 13% to 19% from round two to three.

7: RED NUMBERS
Ten players have broken par in each of the Championship’s first three rounds: Vijay Singh, 66-68-67 (1); Bernhard Langer, 65-67-70 (2); Billy Andrade, 67-68-69 (3); Bob Estes, 70-69-67 (4); Miguel Angel Jimenez, 67-71-69 (T5); David Toms, 69-69-71 (8); Prayad Marksaeng, 70-69-70 (T9); Brandt Jobe, 69-71-69 (T9); Jerry Kelly, 70-70-69 (T9) and Paul Goydos, 70-71-68 (T9).

8: DEFENDING CHAMPION ROCCO MEDIATE MISSES THE CUT
Rocco Mediate, with rounds of 72 and 81, became the first defending KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion to miss a 36-hole cut since the Championship became a 72-hole event in 1958.

9: KITCHENAID FAIRWAY CLUB
The KitchenAid Fairway Club is open all day Sunday for fans to experience live cooking demos, featuring small and large appliances, and get an up close view of the brand’s product line. Additionally, fans can take photos in the interactive photo booth, make charitable contributions to Cook for the Cure and learn about the wide variety of products that KitchenAid offers directly from its experts.