Sutton vaults up leaderboard after 67

American Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton never expected to shine at this week's U.S. PGA Championship, but he revelled in the limelight as he equalled the lowest score of Saturday's third round.

The 45-year-old, U.S. PGA champion at Riviera in 1983, began the day in a share of 39th place at six-over 146 and he ended it at three-over-par 213 after firing a three-under-par 67.

"I think I'll be in the ball game at the end of the weekend," he said, after mixing six birdies with three bogeys to match the 67 carded by compatriot Briny Baird.

"I said at the beginning of the week I wanted to elevate my expectations. My game was beginning to elevate itself and I wanted to expect the same from it.

"That's what I have tried to do this week."

With conditions a little more receptive at a damp and overcast Oak Hill Country Club, Sutton got off to a blistering start with four birdies in the first six holes, including a chip-in at the 428-yard fifth.

He offset his first bogey of the day at the ninth with another birdie on 10 and managed to complete the more difficult second nine in level-par 35.

Yet the respected PGA Tour veteran was not fully satisfied.

"It was a good round but it certainly could have been better," said Sutton, who won the 2000 Players' Championship by a shot after going head-to-head with Tiger Woods.

"Other than the shot that I made from the left of the green (for birdie on five), I didn't do anything that wasn't right in front of me.

"I hit it close and the two bogeys that I hit on the back nine, on 13 and 16, were senseless.

"I hit the wrong club on 13. That shot was playing more uphill than I thought it was. I should have hit nine (iron) and I hit wedge.

"The shot I had on 16 I was distracted. I didn't like the lie of the ball. The ball was about five or six inches above my feet and it was a hard sand wedge."

Sutton said his expectations had not been high at the start of the week with the 7,134-yard par-70 layout playing to its full length following two weeks of rain.

"I was a little worried when I got here and saw how long the golf course was," he said.

"But I've been working hard on my golf swing and it has been getting better.

"I loved it out there today. I like seeing the old guys playing well, it makes me feel youthful."

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