The PGA: Don't dismiss Y.E. Yang

August 15, 10:23 PMGolf ExaminerDave Seanor

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No doubt, Yang can bring it.  (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

CHASKA, Minn. – South Korea’s Y.E. Yang stands on the cusp of becoming the first golfer from Asia to win a major championship. If he somehow gets the better of Tiger Woods on Sunday at the 91^st. PGA Championship, it won’t be a surprise to Padraig Harrington.

"When he won the HSBC Champions two years ago, down the stretch he went all the way against big-name players and he totally outplayed everybody," said Harrington, who like Yang trails 54-hole leader Woods by two shots. "He's a fine player when he's in front."

Yang’s talent shown brightly as his red trousers Saturday. He went round in 67, the low score yielded by an unforgiving, 7,674-yard Hazeltine National. His card featured six birdies, including three in a row beginning at the 14^th hole.

Because he was first to post a 6-under-par 210 total, Yang drew the final-round pairing with Woods. Which may or may not be to his benefit, since playing alongside the World No. 1 is a challenge in and of itself.

“More than anything, it’s just the amount of distractions inside the ropes,” Woods said. “There’s a lot of movement, a lot of cameras, a lot of media – a lot of people moving and it can get you at times. It’s gotten me and it’s gotten my playing partners.”

Harrington said he would have preferred to go head-to-head with Woods because “it would suit me better to have that sort of match play style. I think I would get into it and hopefully raise my game.”

As for Yang going out with Woods for the first time, Harrington said: “The guy knows what he’s doing. So I wouldn’t be too worried about him tomorrow.”

Yang acknowledged that it took some effort to stay focused amid the hubbub of the huge crowds at Hazeltine.

“It’s a bit nerve-racking,” Yang said. “But I’ve been hitting it quite well and hopefully I’ll be able to maintain that momentum. 

“You never know in the world of sports and the game of golf,” he said. “So I’ll just try to make every shot, just focus on every shot that I have. And then tomorrow I may end up inside the top 10, top three and even win the PGA Championship. You never know.”

When he won the HSBC, Yang was paired with Retief Goosen, who led after 54 holes in Shanghai. Yang began the day 1 shot adrift of Goosen and 4 ahead of Woods.

“I really didn’t have that much confidence in winning over those big names, so I just went for broke and somehow I won the tournament,” said Yang, who closed with 69, which was good enough to beat Woods by 2 shots and Goosen and Michael Campbell by 3.

Asked if he planned to go for broke in Round 4 at Hazeltine, Yang said, “Yes, I might as well. Tiger has won 70 times now and I’ve only won once (on the PGA Tour), so it’s sort of 70-to-1 odds.”

Yang’s ball striking and putting have improved with each round (73-70-67). He hit seven fairways on Thursday, nine Friday and 10 in Round 3. He has hit 12, 13 and 15 greens in regulation. He took 30 putts in Round 1, and reduced that to 29 and 28 the next two days.

No one hole at Hazeltine has been problematic for Yang. Since making four bogeys in a five-hole stretch ending at No. 5 in Round 2, Yang has scored 11 under par over 31 holes. He owns No. 7, a 572-yard par 5, having scored birdie-eagle-birdie.

In addition to his European Tour victory at the HSBC Champions, Yang, 37, has notched five victories on the Japan Tour and two on the Korean Tour. When he won the  Honda Classic in March, Yang was written off as a one-hit wonder. On script, he missed the cut four times in his next 10 starts.

“Like anybody else, I got a bit excited after my first win, and that probably took a toll on my focus,” Yang said. “I probably pushed myself a bit too hard, probably was a bit too aggressive. I wanted to taste victory again.”

Yang said he’s been working on slowing his swing tempo and easing his grip pressure. Those changes began to pay dividends at the AT&T National, where Yang tied for 22^nd. In three starts after that he tied for eighth at the RBC Canadian Open, was fifth at the Buck Open and tied for 19^th at the WGC-Bridgestone.

“I’ve sort of mellowed down a little bit and tried to regain my focus again,” Yang said. “That’s been quite helpful, and hopefully I’ll reap the benefits this week.”

Yang also attributed his success to another factor.

“I believe in luck,” he said. “And it’s certainly been a lucky year so far.”

Officials at Hazeltine hope the PGA Championship will luck out with the weather. The Sunday morning forecast called for thunderstorms.

If the scheduled 7:36 a.m. start of Round 4 is delayed, Harrington might be granted his wish and be paired with Woods after all. The PGA of America issued a Saturday evening advisory that starting times might be adjusted and the field re-paired to threesomes off the first and 10^th tees.

Woods had been asked if he was disappointed about not being paired with Harrington, who has emerged as his chief rival and a crowd favorite in Minnesota

“Well, no, because if I was, I’d have a one-shot lead,” Woods said, drawing laughter.

“Y.E. played just a great round of golf today, shooting 67, and he got himself into the final pairing,” he said. “And Paddy put himself right back in the tournament. It will be a fun day tomorrow.”

TIGER WOODS WATCH: For insights on Woods' attempt to win his fifth PGA Championship, check out Tiger Woods Examiner Michael Kaplan.