PGA championship notebook

Brendan Steele slept on the lead entering the final round of a golf tournament twice before.

They were nothing like this.

Steele is tied for the lead entering Sunday’s fourth round of the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. At 7 under par, Steele is joined by Jason Dufner, and the two will tee off last in an attempt to win the final major of the year.

There will be some tossing and turning.

“It will be an anxious time,” Steele said after a 4-under-par third round that included a bogey on No. 18 that would have given him the outright lead.

Steele had the lead entering the final two rounds of last year’s Nationwide Tour Championship. After winning in a playoff, the 28-year-old Steele secured his PGA Tour card. He entered the year’s final mini-tour event 30th on the money list. The victory pushed him into the top 25 and moved him on to the big time.

Steele also had the lead entering the final round of the Valero Texas Open earlier this year. He won there, his lone top-10 finish in 21 events this year.

“I slept on the lead for two days at the Nationwide Tour Championship last year in a tournament I really had to have just to get out here,” Steele said. “I didn’t sleep very well then. I had the lead going into Sunday at San Antonio this year and slept pretty well there just because I had been there before and I knew what it took.

“All I can do is play well, and if somebody beats me, so be it.”

Mickelson the tutor

Steele had some help preparing for his first major championship from Phil Mickelson. The two have become friends in Steele’s rookie season and share the same management.

Mickelson’s advice? Take it easy.

“He has helped me tremendously,” Steele said. “He’s taught me about how to prepare my body just for the week and make sure I didn’t do anything too strenuous. A lot of the young guys want to play a lot of practice rounds and hit a lot of balls and by Thursday we are kind of worn out. He taught [me] the first time I’ve played with him to take it a little bit easier.

“I played nine holes here Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I didn’t even play a full 18.”

Donald’s tough finish

Quietly, Luke Donald has risen to the top of the world golf rankings. He wasn’t so silent for a stretch of the third round Saturday.

Donald birdied six of 12 holes (from Nos. 3-14) and got within striking distance of the leaders. He stood on the 16th tee box at 5 under on his round and 4 under for the tournament. He would describe himself as “angry” three holes later.

Donald is 1 under entering the final round after a bogey on No. 16 and a double bogey on the treacherous No. 18.

“Obviously the finish leaves a bitter taste in my mouth,” Donald said. “I was in a great position at 4 under. I thought I could even grab an extra birdie and get to 5 under. Who knows? I could have been leading by the end of the day. It was a very disappointing finish.”

The mild-mannered Donald was asked just how he would express his anger. Perhaps bang his fist against a wall?

“I might punish myself in the gym,” Donald said.

End of American drought?

The top five players on the leaderboard are American. None have won a major championship.

Mickelson was the last American to win one, at the 2010 Masters. Players from tiny Northern Ireland have won three times since the last U.S. victory.

One of those within striking distance is Steve Stricker. In fifth place, at 4 under, Stricker is by far the biggest name in the final groups. Asked if this was the week to break the American drought, Stricker said “I hope so. Yeah, I hope it is.”

Sand woes

David Toms holed a 40-yard bunker shot on No. 14 for birdie Saturday. He’s one of the few players who have had a good experience in the sand this week. A fairway bunker derailed Rickie Fowler’s round Saturday when he caught too much of the ball trying to blast out on par-4 No. 8. He carded a 7 on the hole.

The players recognize that the bunkers are hazards, however that hasn’t stopped them from giving them dirty looks throughout the week.

“It’s probably how it should be; it’s a penalty,” Bryce Molder said.

The issue for the players, particularly with the fairway bunkers, is the sugary-like top layer in the bunkers. Tee shots roll in and sink, making it difficult for the players to connect with the back of the ball on their next shots.

“The fairway bunkers are some of the most difficult things,” Toms said. “You can’t hit a solid shot.”

Toms hit into a fairway bunker on the fifth hole, 80 yards short of the green, and tried to chip out with an 8-iron. It was a shot he said he’s never tried.