Huge sensation on the course of Southern Hills (Oklahoma).

It is a virtual stranger, whom no one saw coming, who leads the dance.

For his second participation in a Major, the 27-year-old, already in ambush the day before in 2nd place, was the most solid on the board, unlike his main rivals, and is on the verge of a rare feat.

The last player to make a Grand Slam event his very first title was Danny Willett at the Augusta Masters in 2016. There are only six in history to have achieved this singular performance.

Pereira, a native of Santiago, is in his first full season in the PGA where he was promoted thanks to three victories during the previous year on the Korn Ferry Tour, the North American development circuit.

He could become the first rookie to win a Major since 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.

"keep it simple"

He had made a brief foray into the US Open in 2019, without crossing the cut.

This time, on the third day, he sits at the top of this PGA Championship with a total of -9.

He has three strokes better than the American Will Zalatoris, leader the day before, and the Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, author of a jump of six places.

His card of the day was not balanced for long, with four birdies and as many bogeys.

But at N.18, his putt of more than 8 meters hit the mark.

"I'm delighted with the way I played at the end. That birdie on the last hole was a bonus," he said.

Before getting carried away: "It's by far the biggest tournament I've ever played, the best round I've ever done and tomorrow it will be even bigger".

"I'm going to try to keep it simple, do the same things that I did, try not even to look at the people around me," he added, obviously aware of the huge pressure that will be on his shoulders.

His best career on the circuit was a 3rd place, at the Fortinet Championship in September 2021, two months after failing to win Olympic bronze in Tokyo (4th).

Following him, in addition to Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick, are the American Cameron Young, four shots, the Mexican Abraham Ancer five and the Irish Seamus Power six.

So many outsiders, in search of a first major coronation, that few were waiting in such a good position.

"Are" Woods

Just behind, all at seven lengths, point a trio of players who have known the joy of winning Grand Slams: Bubba Watson, Stewart Cink and Justin Thomas.

The latter obviously had other fish to fry, but he must have been affected by the Cashmere day of the "Tiger", his friend Tiger Woods, who had a very difficult 3rd round, to the point of announcing his retirement in the evening.

American Tiger Woods putts on the 18th green at the end of his 2nd round at the PGA Championship on the Southern Hills Country Club course on May 20, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma Christian Petersen GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Painfully dragging his sore leg, he unscrewed in last place, after returning a card of 79, nine strokes over par.

He thus came close to his worst Grand Slam score established in 2002 in the 3rd round of the British Open and repeated in the first round of the 2015 US Open.

When asked if he was going to play the last round on Sunday, the American, winner of 15 Grand Slams, then replied: "Well, I'm sore. That's a fact. We're going to do a little bit of work (with the physios) and see how it goes".

There was therefore little doubt that the 46-year-old star was not going to finish his second tournament, fifteen months after his car accident near Los Angeles, which almost cost him his right leg.

© 2022 AFP