First-major hopefuls take PGA spotlight as Tiger clears stage

With Tiger Woods pulling out of the PGA Championship before Sunday's final round, the spotlight fell upon six leaders chasing their first major title in a trophy shooutout at Southern Hills.

Chile's Mito Pereira, making only his second major start, has a three-stroke lead over England's Matthew Fitzpatrick and American Will Zalatoris on nine-under par 201 as the final round began without Woods, who struggled in the latest chapter of his remarkable comeback.

Woods, recovering from severe leg injuries suffered in a car crash 15 months ago, withdrew for only the second time in a major on Saturday after limping to his third-worst major round, a nine-over par 79.

"I didn't do anything right," Woods said. "I didn't hit many good shots."

The 15-time major champion, who returned at April's Masters with a share of 47th place after grinding through a 72-hole walk, was battling pain in his right leg even as huge crowds cheered him as he battled round the course despite his woeful performance.

"I'm sore," admitted Woods, who has plenty of time to recover before the next majors, June's US Open and July's British Open.

Sunday's stage was left to a host of young talents seeking a major breakthrough, most like Pereira chasing their first US PGA Tour triumphs.

"It's by far the biggest tournament I've played, the biggest round of golf," Pereira said. "I'll just try to keep it simple, do the same things that I've been doing, not even look at the people around me."

The 27-year-old from Santiago, the first Chilean to ever lead a major, could become the first US tour rookie since 2011 to win a major.

Zalatoris, last year's Masters runner-up, has top-10 finishes in four of seven prior major starts.

"You've got to go out and get it," Zalatoris said.