Kisner holds slim lead heading into final round of PGA Championship

Kevin Kisner survived a calamitous finish at the PGA Championship thanks to a good bounce off a bridge that allowed him to escape with a bogey and take a one-shot lead into the final round at Quail Hollow.

• LEADERBOARD: PGA Championship

Graham DeLaet bookended back-to-back eagles with a pair of birdies in a stunning four-hole stretch to charge into contention at the PGA Championship on Saturday.

After a birdie at the par-three 13th, the Canadian then went eagle, eagle, birdie — six-under-par for the four holes — en route to a three-under 68 at Quail Hollow.

DeLaet, two-under for the tournament and five shots adrift of leader Kevin Kisner, was as surprised as anyone by the run, which came after what had been a mediocre round up until that point.

He had even needed a pep talk from his caddie after being "bummed out" by a double-bogey at the 11th.

"It's fun to do that at a regular tour event but at a PGA Championship that's pretty cool," said the world number 117.

"It's something I'll probably always remember. And the nice thing about it was it put me in a position where something really special tomorrow can [happen].

"Probably gonna take a special round, but you never know."

DeLaet catches fire

DeLaet's run started when he almost made a hole-in-one with a six-iron at the 13th, his ball stopping on the edge of the cup.

He almost aced the 301-yard par-four 14th as well, his tee shot with a three-wood running over the hole before stopping eight feet beyond, from where he sank the eagle putt.

"I almost had three [eagles] in a row because I hit it to an inch the hole before," he said.

"I left that ball hanging on the lip [at the 13th and then I] hit the hole on the next one, the par-four.

"That's where I turned to [my caddie] and said, 'Man, I could have just gone one, one,' but going two, two is pretty good on those holes too."

DeLaet's charge continued with a 12-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th before he sank a 45-footer for birdie at the par-four 16th.

"That was just a bonus, are you kidding me?" he said of the 16th.

"When that putt went in, you shake your head and it was pretty unreal."

Canadian seeks first victory

The 35-year-old is still seeking his first victory on Tour, and a major would not be a bad way to start.

Afflicted with a chronically bad back, he underwent microdiscectomy surgery in 2011, the same procedure Tiger Woods has undergone, and his health is a day-to-day issue.

"I've been on the [treatment] table a lot this week," he said.

"I haven't done any practising. Today was the best that it felt. It was painful with every swing but it didn't affect me for the first time this week, so that was nice."

Plenty of struggles

Kisner already gave up a two-shot lead with a shot into the water on the 16th hole. He nearly did it again on the 18th until the ball hit the concrete bridge, sailed high in the air and disappeared in thick grass on the hill above a creek. He did well to chop that out onto the green and two-putt from 45 feet for a 1-over 72.

He wasn't alone in his struggles at the end of a long day of oppressive heat.

Chris Stroud, the last player to qualify for the PGA Championship with a playoff victory last week in Nevada, three-putted for bogey on his final two holes for a 71 and will play in the final group with Kisner. Also one shot behind was Hideki Matsuyama, who had a 73.

Jason Day was right there with them until a peculiar decision likely cost him a reasonable chance. Stuck behind a tree right of the 18th fairway, Day chose not to pitch out to the fairway and tried hooking it around the tree and the gallery to the right. The club clanged off the pine and the ball went into the bushes. He took a penalty drop, found the rough, came up short of the green and ended with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77.

Rickie Fowler got within three shots of the lead until a three-putt bogey on the 16th hole, a tee shot into the water on the 17th for a double bogey, and a three-putt bogey on the last hole. That sent him six shots behind.

Matsuyama chases Japanese history

Through all that chaos, Matsuyama kept alive his chances to bring Japan in its first major.

Matsuyama made his share of mistakes, and while he failed to convert two good birdie chances, he played the last five holes bogey-free for a 73.

Kisner was at 7-under 206 as he goes after his first major championship.