GOLF.com conducts a weekly roundtable with its staff to break down the game’s hottest topics every Sunday evening. This week for the PGA Championship we are answering one burning question each night. Check back for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com.
Brooks Koepka leads the 100th PGA Championship by two with 18 holes to play, eyeing his third career major title. But Adam Scott is two back and several formidable players are within three and four shots (including Tiger Woods). Who wins, and how will Tiger fare?
Sean Zak: Gimme the guy with the two shot lead, who closed out the U.S. Open like there was no other option. Koepka wins at 16 under. Tiger shoots 69, but grabs a boatload of Ryder Cup points, finishing T10.
Jeff Ritter: Koepka is absolutely overpowering the place, and I just don’t think he’s going to crack. He wins it with a smooth little 67 to finish 15 under. Rickie comes up two shots short, Tiger three.
SCORES: PGA leaderboard after 54 holes
Alan Shipnuck: Koepka at 15 under. Tiger finishes T3 at 12 under.
Dylan Dethier: Good god, is that Rickie Fowler’s music?! Y’all have Koepka covered, but there’s a host of top sticks within four shots of the lead. I think there’s a good chance Koepka stalls while Rickie takes the W at 14 under, two shots ahead of Tiger Woods.
Michael Bamberger: Sunday, Sunday, at Bellerive Raceway: Tiger goes out in 30, takes over the leaderboard and the tournament for a nanosecond, slumbers home in 37 — ouch city — and in the end is an afterthought (if Tiger Woods can ever be an afterthought). Brooks Koepka shoots a Steady Eddie round of even par (that is, 68 — level for him) and wins by a three-ish.
Alan Bastable: Nary a mention of Adam Scott?! There will undoubtedly be some added emotional pressure on him was as he tries to memorialize his late countryman Jarrod Lyle, but Bellerive sets up like a dream for him. Soft conditions + target golf = Scott’s happy place. He could and should be awfully dangerous tomorrow. With a 66, he wins by one. Michael nailed Tiger. Strong start, shaky finish.
Josh Berhow: I’m with Alan. For starters, the guy is in the final group! Here’s the thing, he’s playing for fellow Aussie Jarrod Lyle — “it would be more than twice the thrill for me” to win this week, he said — and I believe in these sorts of things working out. And another thing, Scott’s long been held back by his putting, but these greens are slow and break little and can help even the sketchiest putter get hot. He’s 192nd in Strokes Gained putting for the season. This week he’s 24th. Scott shoots 65 to win at 15 under, while Woods shows flashes but shoots 67 and finishes four back.
Jessica Marksbury: The cracks in Koepka’s game are few and far between and it will take a seriously epic round to beat him. I don’t see it happening. Kopeka claims his third major in 14 months at 15 under. Tiger 4th, at 11 under.
