PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka stays seven ahead at Bethpage Black

Brooks Koepka moved another step closer to retaining his PGA Championship title by retaining his seven-stroke lead heading into his final round in New York.

The world No 3 followed his record-breaking start to the week at Bethpage Black with a level-under 70 to stay at 12 under and open up the largest 54-hole advantage in the tournament’s history, as none of the chasing pack made any significant progress.

Koepka is in pole position to claim a wire-to-wire victory and fourth major title in eighth starts, with world No 1 Dustin Johnson one of four players in a share of second.

Harold Varner III and Jazz Janewattananond both posted third-round 67s to join Johnson and Luke List on five under, while Matt Wallace is in the group a further stroke back.

Koepka missed a seven-footer for birdie at the first but holed from a couple of feet closer at the next, before having to settle for a par at the par-five fourth after finding the bunker with his approach.

The defending champion fired his approach at the par-four fifth to tap-in range to extend his lead to eight, with Koepka then getting up and down from the back of the seventh green to hole from eight feet and save par.

Koepka gave the rest of the field hope after missing from three feet to save par at the ninth and then finding trouble off the next tee on his way to a second successive bogey, but stayed seven ahead after Johnson – playing in the group ahead – started his back nine with back-to-back blemishes.

List cut the advantage to five by following a pitch-in at the 12th and 30-footer at the 13th by making another birdie at the 14th, only for Koepka to hole a 15-foot birdie at the 13th after gouging his ball out from the rough.

The lead moved back to seven when List finished his one-under 69 with successive bogeys, as Koepka three-putted the 16th from long range but made two-putt pars over the closing holes to stay at 12 under.

Johnson found thick rough at the 18th and posted a final-hole bogey, while Jordan Spieth, who can complete the career Grand Slam with victory, slipped 10 strokes off the pace following a two-over 72.

English trio Danny Willett, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood sit in the group level par, while Rory McIlroy joined the group on two over after posting a one-under 69.

Watch the final round of the PGA Championship on Sunday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf and 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event.

(c) Sky News 2019: PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka stays seven ahead at Bethpage Black