Golf-Spaniard Larrazabal makes early move in PGA final round

JOHNS CREEK, Georgia, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Early starters took advantage of the shortest course set-up of the week at the PGA Championship on Sunday with Pablo Larrazabal enjoying an impressive 66 to offer hope to those aiming to catch the leaders.

Spaniard Larrazabal, a double winner on the European Tour, fired a sparkling four-under-par round on Atlanta Athletic Club's challenging Highland course, which is playing only 7,236 yards long for the final round.
While overnight leaders Jason Dufner and fellow American Brendan Steele prepared for a mid-afternoon teeoff, Larrazabal recorded five birdies and a lone bogey in sweltering heat.
The 28-year-old from Barcelona got to four under for his round with three consecutive birdies from the 12th and then completed the brutal closing stretch in even par.
American Sean O'Hair also covered the final four holes in level par on the way to a closing 70 but conceded that organisers had given the players a break with forward tees on several holes.
"Sixteen is a good solid hole but if you hit a good drive there, it's a birdie hole I think," O'Hair told Reuters after finishing at 11-over 291 for the tournament.
"And on 17 (the par-three) the tee is up today and I think that's also a birdie hole. You can kind of hit a drawn eight-iron or nine-iron in there, if the club is right and it's a full club.
"But 18, it's just hanging on for dear life. Hopefully you hit a good drive there and get yourself in the fairway. It's challenging hole for sure."
PUNISHING FINISH
The final four holes on the Highland course were described by former world number one Tiger Woods earlier this week as among the most punishing he has ever seen.
That has certainly proved to be the case over the first three rounds with the closing stretch playing to an average score of 1.315 strokes over par.
American journeyman Dufner has negotiated those four holes in an aggregate three under, a significant factor in helping him share the third-round lead with PGA Tour rookie Steele.
The year's final major is poised for a wild and unpredictable finish with five Americans occupying the top five spots after 54 holes as U.S. players bid to end an unprecedented run of six majors without a champion.
Dufner and Steele lead the way at seven under with another American rookie, Keegan Bradley, a further stroke back.
Veteran Americans Scott Verplank and world number five Steve Stricker were respectively two and three shots behind the pacesetting pair while Dane Anders Hansen heads the European challenge at three under, level with American DA Points.
Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa and 2001 PGA winner David Toms, both at two under, are the only former major champions in the top 12 after 54 holes, setting up the prospect of a seventh successive first-time winner of a grand slam title.