Lucas Herbert is hunting a maiden top-10 major finish after digging deep to earn a fighter's chance of snatching the PGA championship crown in Kentucky.
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As the challenges from his more-fancied Australians stalled, Herbert ground out a third-round three-under-par 68 to remain within striking distance of co-leaders Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa.
One of eight LIV Golf rebels surprisingly invited to Valhalla, Herbert mixed four birdies with his lone bogey of the day on the par-4 sixth hole when he was unable to save par from a greenside bunker.
He holed a series of clutch par putts down the stretch, including one at the last hole, to sign for a third-straight steely sub-70 round and climb to nine under for the championship.
Herbert is six shots behind perennial majors bridesmaid Schauffele (68) and 2020 champion Morikawa (67) and needing to conjure a special final round to snatch the Wanamaker Trophy.
But after seeing Irishman Shane Lowry match the major championship scoring record with a 62 on Saturday, the 28-year-old knows a low round is out there.
"There's plenty to play for," Herbert told the PGA of America.
"There's a stack of exemptions based on wherever you finish so I've got that to think about.
"Even just getting to double digits under par in a major is pretty cool and something that not many people can say they've done.
"If I was able to get to that score, I think that would be a pretty good achievement.
"I've done a lot of work this year on my game so I'd love to play a nice, solid round tomorrow, at worst, and if we finish in the top 10 that would give me a lot of satisfaction for the hard work that I've put in."
A tie for 13th at the PGA Championship two years ago is Herbert's best result in a major to date and a maiden top-10 is among a handful of boxes he would like to tick at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
Jason Day, the 2015 winner and 2016 runner-up, was the next best Australian in a tie for 29th at six under following a third-round 69.
After starting with two bogeys, Day rallied with four birdies without any more blemishes but still looks too far back, nine shots behind, to mount a serious Sunday challenge.
Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee were a further stroke adrift after posting matching third-round 70s.
Australian Associated Press
