Henrik Stenson shows no signs of a British Open hangover at the PGA Championship

Reporting from SPRINGFIELD, N.J. â€”  To the chagrin of his highly competitive peers, Henrik Stenson, with his game remarkably smooth, his mind sharp, and his droll sense of humor intact, isn’t going away.

The Swede seems to have no hangover from his British Open win two weeks ago. Nor does the 40-year-old look so weary as to require a few long naps.

After Stenson shot a second straight three-under-par 67 on Friday in the PGA Championship to stand three shots behind leaders Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb, somebody asked him if he’d approach the final two rounds at Baltusrol the way he did at Royal Troon.

“I think,� he said with a slight grin, “that 63 on Sunday would work pretty well here too.�

He was joking, of course, because a couple more 67s would probably do the trick, and right now Stenson seems fully capable of posting just about anything really good.

Scheduled to go off in the third-to-last group in the third round, Stenson didn’t hit a shot Saturday because of weather delays and the suspension of play.

Through two rounds, Stenson has only four bogeys on a big-shouldered, demanding course.

Stenson’s first major victory, after 37 previous tries, was a popular one, even on this side of the Atlantic, probably because the Orlando, Fla.-based golfer played so spectacularly and handled his three-shot victory over Phil Mickelson with such class. He is hearing many cheers of support here, and as cool as he seems at times, don’t think it’s not buoying his confidence.

“I have to say I’m 6-2 normally, but I guess I feel 6-3 out there at the moment,� Stenson said.

As evidenced by U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson’s poor play here — he missed the cut by seven shots — to sustain any momentum in golf is very difficult. Observers might expect a run of major wins, but beyond Tiger Woods, it doesn’t hasn’t happened very often in the last decade.

Of the past 21 first-time major winners dating back to 2007 and not including this year, seven have won a second major.

Brown greens?

Until they were under water Saturday, some of the greens at Baltusrol were looking a bit rugged, with large brown spots obvious, even around where the holes were placed. There are municipal courses with a better cosmetic appearance.

Apparently, they putt better than they look.

“From a visual or elevated camera, it looks not smooth,� Mickelson said. “Those greens were pristine [last]) weekend. They were all lush green. In an attempt to dry them out a little bit, some spots got brown, but they are rolling perfect.�

Notable

With the par-five 18th hole playing as the easiest on the course, it should create a compelling finish. It has yielded 153 birdies and 13 eagles while exacting only 37 bogeys and three double-bogeys. Thirteen players birdied Saturday, with Jason Dufner making an eagle.

Among the players who finished their third round, there were 16 scores in the 60s and 12 at over par.

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