PGA Championship 2019: What you need to know for Saturday at Bethpage

It’s hard to believe, but the PGA Championship is already halfway over at Long Island’s Bethpage Black. Brooks Koepka is making history, shooting a course-record setting 63 on Thursday, and setting the all-time 36-hole PGA Championship scoring record at 128 (63-65) on Friday. He has a seven-shot lead, but there are some big-time names behind him: Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson, to name a few. Can they claw their way back into the mix? Here’s what you need to know for Saturday’s third round.

1. The best PGA Championship groupings

We’re finally in twosome-ville! Here are the five most intriguing pairings, along with their Saturday tee times (ET).

1. Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth (2:50 p.m.)
2. Adam Scott, Daniel Berger (2:40 p.m.)
3. Dustin Johnson, Kelly Kraft (2:30 p.m.)
4. Justin Rose, Danny Lee (2:10 p.m.)
5. Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama (1:20 p.m.)

2. The cut has been made

After the second round, golfers with the low 70 scores, plus ties, earn the right to play the final two rounds. This year, 82 players made it into the weekend with a score of four over par or better, meaning 73 players were sent packing. Notables among them? Tiger Woods, Kevin Kisner, Padraig Harrington, John Daly, J.B. Holmes, Jason Dufner, Marc Leishman, Lee Westwood, Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, Ian Poulter, Branden Grace, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, Jon Rahm, Martin Kaymer and Steve Stricker.

3. How to watch the PGA Championship Saturday

Streaming options will be available on PGA.com beginning at 11 a.m., where you can watch featured groups and holes. The TV broadcast is on TNT from 11-2:00 p.m. ET, then CBS from 2-7:00 p.m. ET.

4. PGA Championship weather

Bright morning sunshine will give way to afternoon clouds between 12 and 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. The temperature is expected to range from the high 50s at the beginning of the players’ rounds to the mid-to-high 60s by the end of the day. The wind is expected to be calm, maxing out at 9 mph.

5. Tiger Woods PGA Championship Watch

Tiger Woods needed some fireworks on Friday in order to rally to make the cut, and unfortunately it wasn’t in the cards. His two-round total of 145 (72-73, five over par) fell one shot above the cutline, which was four over. The Big Cat made three birdies on Friday but also suffered six bogeys. It’s the fourth missed cut of Tiger’s PGA Championship career, and also his fourth missed cut in his last six appearances.

6. The PGA Championship Round 3 best storyline will be …

Brooks Koepka could become a four-time major champion this weekend, and though he already set a new record for the lowest 36-hole score at the PGA (128, 12 under) there are a number of other records he’s in position to break: best 72-hole score (16 under — a record he set last year), best 72-hole score to par (20 under, set by Jason Day in 2015), best 54-hole score (196, set by David Toms in 2001), largest 54-hole lead (five shots, set by Raymond Floyd in 1969) and largest winning margin (eight shots, set by Rory McIlroy in 2012).

If Brooks somehow comes back to the field a bit, that would also be a major story. Jordan Spieth needs a PGA win to complete the career grand slam. He trails by seven. Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson are seeking their second major titles and are seven and eight shots back, respectively. There’s a lot of history still up in the air. That makes Saturday worth watching.

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