US PGA: As it happened

1. Final scores: -16 McIlroy; -15 Mickelson; -14 Fowler, Stenson; -12 Furyk, Palmer
2. -11 Els, Walker, Dubuisson, Mahan, Ilonen, Stricker; -10 Snedeker, Chappell
3. -9 Westwood, Schwartzel, Koepka, Warren, Scott, DeLaet, Wiesberger
4. Click 'Live Coverage' tab for BBC Radio 5 live commentary

Now it's time to say good night, and we'll give the final word to Jack Nicklaus - the man whose 18-majors record many think McIlroy could go on and match.

"Fantastic," said the Golden Bear. "It was really a great tournament. It was great theatre. Great golf, actually. It was one of the best tournaments to watch - because of such good play - that I have seen in a long, long time.

"Phil Mickelson was unbelievable. Just pure guts and really great golf. And Rickie Fowler was simply terrific. He played well all the way down the stretch, until he couldn't see at 18. No one could.

"Then Rory, who got three shots down, showed so much poise, confidence and determination coming down the stretch.

"Rory got the right break at the 10th hole with a great shot. He was off and running from there."

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John from Holywood: From another ropey wifi campsite in Southern France...well done wee man...don't let the party let up...looking forward to Augusta... ps Den I have run out of beer send some over to cabin 30

The party has well and truly started.

Andrew from Belfast: 'Little' Northern Ireland have now won 6 of the last 20 golfing majors! Not bad for a nation of 1.5 million! We're the real home of golf!!!

McIlroy joins stellar back-to-back major winners list

With his fourth major title and first back-to-back feat after his Hoylake antics, Rory McIlroy has joined an impressive list of past champions (since World War One) who have also completed back-to-back wins.

Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones (twice), Ben Hogan (three times), Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus (twice), Tom Watson, Nick Price, Tiger Woods (five times), Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington. It's pretty much a who's-who of golfing titans.

Italian pro Matteo Manassero tweets: I was glued to the TV. They mainly talk about his driving but the strength of mind he showed is incredible!! @McIlroyRory great champion

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

He is on track [to emulating Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus] but if he's going to achieve it take them one at a time. Tiger's done winning majors.

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Nine-time major winner Gary Player tweets: Lights out. Congratulations Rory McIlroy on your fourth major at the PGA Championship. Great back nine. True grit. Respect. My very best. GP

This trophy is a bit of a handful - the lid falls off but Rory catches it before it hits the deck, before McIlroy finally hoists the beast aloft after a couple of efforts. He praises the sportsmanship of Mickelson and Fowler, for allowing him to play up behind them in the fading light, and it's another classy speech.

It was mum who Rory celebrated with first after his victory at the Open, this time it's his old man again. How good can this kid be? Ten majors? Eleven? Twelve? All of a sudden, it looks like anything is possible. I can't help wondering where Tiger Woods is now. For the sake of a yet-to-be-made movie, I hope he's pumping drives on a windswept range, thunder raging all around him...

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

They all had one hiccup on the back nine. McIlroy did not. This was a truly amazing stretch that you don't see very often in the game. This is big boy stuff right here.

Lost and found: History of the US PGA Championship's Wanamaker Trophy

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We saw the US PGA Championship's Wanamaker Trophy sitting forlornly in the rain earlier, like an abandoned child. One of the heftiest trophies in world sport weighs 27 pounds, is 28 inches tall and 27 inches from handle to handle.

Purchased by Rodman Wanamaker in 1916, 10 years later Walter Hagen was asked where the trophy was. Hagen, who won the tournament for four straight years from 1924-27, said he hadn't brought it because he had no intention of giving it away. In 1928, when Hagen was ousted as champion, he admitted he'd lost the trophy.

Legend has it Hagen went partying in Chicago after his 1925 triumph and forgot the trophy when he hopped in a cab. It was found in 1930 in an unmarked case in the basement of L.A. Young & Company, the firm that manufactured the Walter Hagen line of golf clubs.

But the PGA had already made a duplicate of the Wanamaker Trophy, and once the original was recovered it was safely put away. It can be found at the PGA Historical Centre in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent at Valhalla

What an achievement, what a summer, what an amazing sustained performance we've seen from Rory McIlroy. He takes another giant leap in the dark on his way to golfing greatness. McIlroy is undoubtedly the superstar of golf right now. It's utterly unbelievable the way he's taken the golf world by storm.

McIlroy wins US PGA

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... McIlroy pops in for par, a round of 68, victory over Phil Mickelson by a single shot and his fourth major title. What a championship...

McIlroy cosies his birdie putt up there to within a couple of feet of the hole - I've seen them missed, but only on municipal pitch and putts. Wiesberger finishes with a par, a disappointing round of 74 and nine under overall...

McIlroy rather muffs his sand escape but he's got another two putts for the title, albeit from 34 feet...

Fowler's birdie effort lips out, he has to make do with a tie for fourth with Stenson. But that's four top-five major finishes this year for the 25-year-old, and that's some feat.

Mickelson, the big man with the touch of a miniature portrait painter, very nearly sticks his chip in. But the disappointment on his face says it all, the game could be up. 'Only' a birdie, he's in the clubhouse on -15, one behind Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy did go for the green and found a bunker. A mixture of cheers from the more jingoistic American fans and groans from the more sympathetic. Here's Lefty...

It's getting grim out there, the light fading fast. Question is, will McIlroy have a dart at the green or lay up? It's Bernd Wiesberger to play first... 220 yards to the pin and he's tugged it in the bunker...

Mickelson will hope this is the penultimate bullet he has to fire today... not likely, he hasn't quite made the green and will need to chip in across the corner of the bunker. Fowler will have an eagle putt, his ball just clambering over that bunker. McIlroy's ball is well below his feet and he asks if he can play his second before the others have reached the green - once Mickelson is on, he will be allowed to do just that...

The final hole is the easiest hole

Earlier we told you the 18th hole was playing the second easiest on the course. Fittingly, as it looks set to hold the key for deciding our winner, it has since become the most straight forward.

As many as 44 birdies have been found on the final drag as well as two eagles. For the chasers, there is hope...

McIlroy lets rip and his immediate lean to the left tells you that he's leaked it right. That was very nearly in the drink from McIlroy and about six feet from being beyond the hazard line... enjoying this?

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Martin: Following the live feed on a frustratingly intermittent 3G signal in the middle of nowhere in France - this is riveting stuff - go Wee man !!!

Den from Tyrone: Stuck in French campsite with no tv and ropey wi-fi - hanging on every update to the live feed and going through fingernails rapidly !!!

Someone have a word with the French, after all they're hosting the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Mark in St. Andrews: Despite its reputation as the 4th major, the USPGA sure has thrown up some amazing finishes over the years.

Fowler has smoked his drive down the 18th and Mickelson follows him down there with his three wood, although he has to enquire as to where his ball went because of the fading light. Unusually, McIlroy is going to have a go as well, once Mickelson and Fowler have disappeared over the bridge...

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent at Valhalla

"What a player. This is really special. This is golf from a golfing great in the making."

-16 McIlroy; -14 Stenson, Fowler, Mickelson

Sweden's Henrik Stenson makes par at the last when he needed more but that's a round of 66 for 14 under. But the big story is happening behind him, where Rory McIlroy has bent in his birdie putt on 17 to open up a two-shot lead. Mickelson and Fowler need eagles up ahead, Rory needs something pretty ordinary for a play-off to ensue.

Northern Irishman Darren Clarke ‏on Twitter: At this stage of a major it's all about mental strength with all of them playing so well! Confidence helps and Rors has a lot right now!

Stenson's birdie attempt misses by not much but a par won't be enough, even if he makes it. McIlroy parachutes in at 17, he's got a chance to virtually kill things off...

Welshman Jamie Donaldson is in the clubhouse with a 71 for -8, Jason Day has doubled 16 to fall back to -8. Fowler made that par putt, that boy has some big old cojones. Mickelson and Fowler stay one off the lead on -14, Stenson comes up short with his third at 18, out of some muck, his race could be run.

Mickelson needs some of that old black magic and he's found some from somewhere, what a chip shot that is - he'll tap in for par and gird his loins for one last assault down the 18th, where eagles lurk. Pretty ordinary putt from Fowler, he's got a knee-knocker for par...

They're racing the sun now, but it looks light enough out there that they'll finish this evening - unless, of course, there's a play-off. Mickelson overcooks the green with his second into 17, Fowler leaves himself with a monster for birdie. McIlroy finds sand off the tee at 17, Stenson has doinked his approach head high into the gallery over the back of the 18th.

-15 McIlroy (16) -14 Fowler, Mickelson (16)

Mickelson finds sand of the tee at 17, the old gunslinger looks to have bent his barrel at the worst possible moment. Stenson pumps his drive down the middle at 18, a good second and it's eagle o'clock... McIlroy's birdie effort stays left, but he stays outright leader on 15 under...

From the light to shade

Phil Mickelson has been golfing with the Gods at times today...

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But his dropped shot on 16 brings an end to a run of 21 holes without a bogey.

McIlroy now leads for the first time since the second hole and it looks likely to stay that way after a fine approach at 16. Since that miraculous three wood at 10, McIlroy has looked totally locked in and in control. Fowler pulls out the big stick at 17 and gives it some humpty, glorious drive...

McIlroy leads on -15

Mickelson hasn't hit his par putt, Rory is outright leader on -14 - and he just saw that happen back on the fairway. Fowler prods his par putt in, a noticeable lack of bonhomie between himself and Mickelson as they head for the 17th tee. Stenson saves par at 17, is now in a three-way tie for second.

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Fowler has got a regulation 97-foot putt at 16, I'd probably need a seven iron from there... what a putt that is, but he's still got a five-footer for par...

One of the shots of the day from Fowler, somehow making it to the edge of the green with a nine iron. The things these kids can do nowadays. Stenson with a smart chip on at 17, should save par. Mickelson very nearly holes that chip but his ball lips out on the second or third bounce and races six feet past. We could have a new outright leader in a minute...

Mickelson comes up short with his second out of the fluff at 16, he'll have a little chip over the bunker front-left. Fowler has got a shot that could make or break him here, he's going to have to try to bend his second round the trees, from the edge of the 15th fairway. Off jogs his caddie to get some yardage, as McIlroy absolutely ruins his drive behind him...

McIlroy with a snaky one downhill at 15... didn't hit it, that was a little bit tentative. Wiesberger still hasn't made a birdie today, his birdie effort misses to the right and the Austrian remains -10. McIlroy pops in his par putt, stays tied with Mickelson on 15 under.

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

"Rory doesn't look comfortable to me. Phil looks like there's no place he'd rather be."

McIlroy hit his drive 350 yards, leaving himself 110... that's decent, chance for birdie. Stenson chucks everything at his drive down 17, that's gigantic and straight. Mickelson with three wood off the 16th tee, and his ball just bobbles into the rough. Fowler going with the big stick... leaked it right, so right it's missed the water and ended up on the 15th fairway...

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent at Valhalla

"Rory's driving statistics will be immaculate today. I'm struggling to think of a fairway he's missed."

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Rory ripsnorts his drive down the middle of the 15th as Fowler knocks in a straight-forward par up ahead to stay -14. Mickelson from about 20 feet... broke too much from left to right, he stays joint leader with McIlroy - but Rory is wedging in behind them...

Nine-time major winner Gary Player tweets: Phil, Rory, Rickie, Henrik at the PGA Championship. I can't keep up and definitely cannot go to bed now...

A 68 for Kenny Perry on his 54th birthday, he finished on six under. World number two Adam Scott carded a 69 for nine under. Mickelson and Fowler into the guts of the green at 15, Stenson comes up short with his long-range birdie putt at 16.

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Andy in Armagh: I was just writing this text to say that Rory McIlroy was out of this and it looks like the tournament belongs to one of Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson or Henrik Stenson. Then Rory went and nailed THAT 281-yard 3 wood, and then nervelessly rolled in the eagle putt. Buckle up folks!

Stenson finds the 16th green in regulation, Mickelson and Fowler clunk drives down the 15th. Westwood in with a 69 for nine under overall, which leaves him tied for 17th. Just never happened for Jason Day of Australia today, six straight pars between nine and 14 when too many around him were making hay.

If only I could do that...

Former Masters champion Zach Johnson tweets: What I played today would be classified as "really bad golf". What I'm watching now, would be classified as "UNREAL golf"!

Johnson shot six over in his final round and finished five over for the tournament.

Mickelson & McIlroy lead on -15

Fowler for par - if he misses, it's Rory and Lefty at the top - and he does just that, dropping back to -14. Rory, now, taking aim at the par-three 14th. Five iron from 215 yards, can't quite cling onto the top level, but that's a very makeable birdie putt...

Mickelson looking for his third birdie in a row at 14... tugs it left, should make par...

I'll wait until next week to win this thing, says McIlroy

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With light fading, co-leader Rory McIlroy is in no hurry to get his round done.

"I will hang around until next week to try to win this thing. It doesn't bother me in the slightest," the world number one said pre-round.

Stenson pars the 15th, the Swede still steaming at one off the lead. Fowler gets a free drop out of that festival-like nonsense, but he's still got a tricky chip on. Good enough, but he'll do well to make par coming back... Stenson rips his drive down the 16th, straight down the middle...

Fowler, Mickelson & McIlroy lead on -15

McIlroy has got a seven or eight-footer for birdie at 13... nails it, we have a three-way lead...

Stunning standard

Belgian pro Nicolas Colsaerts tweets: Easy to say rain has made golf course easier at PGA, leaders display today is still exceptional.

Furyk is in with a 66 for the clubhouse lead on -12. Mickelson on tee at the short 14th... right at the flag, stays at the top, birdie chance. Fowler has sprayed his tee shot miles right, he's got a rotter of a lie in some trodden down grass. Stenson with a treacle of a bunker escape at 15, should save par.

Ernie Els: That course was as gettable as you'll ever see

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Ernie Els, who rocketed up the leaderboard with a final day 65 for -11 overall, said conditions were perfect for low scoring.

"On nine I said to my caddie let's get to 14 under. I felt my game was in such good shape," said the four-time major winner.

"The course was as gettable as you're ever going to get, as gettable as a major course will ever be."

Two pretty ordinary pars from Mickelson and Fowler at 13, they remain -15. More news from Ian Poulter's Twitter feed: "Time to collect the sushi and watch the last 7 holes. Interesting finish. Orlando just as warm as when we left in the summer." Just in case anyone was worried Ian wasn't eating properly and lived somewhere cold.

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John McEnerney: Stenson ruling Valhalla with his putter(Odin) & Phil putting out of his skin! Men in Black!

Moon: Sporting drama doesn't get any better than the Sunday night of a major. Awesome stuff.

Lloyd Evans: Want McIlroy and Stenson to drop three shots, and Mickelson and Fowler to drop four. 10-man play-off for the US PGA. Imagine that!

Fowler & Mickelson lead on -15

Fowler safely on at 13, Mickelson gets inside him. Stenson's birdie putt just missed at 14... and his par putt horseshoed out. Fowler and Mickelson lead...

Victor Dubuisson is garnering a reputation for himself as a big-time contender, the Frenchman finished with a 66 for 11 under and a share of the clubhouse lead. McIlroy leaves his birdie putt a couple of inches right at 12, stays one off the leaders.

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent at Valhalla

That one landed like a rotten peach on the green. Didn't move. Uphill putt and a great chance.

McIlroy stiffs his second to within eight feet, that was magnificent...

A great shot from behind McIlroy's head shows Mickelson making magic up ahead and the crowd rising to his genius - follow that, wee man...

Stenson, Fowler & Mickelson lead on -15

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Stenson, I'm told, hasn't missed from inside six feet all week, which is pretty remarkable. Mickelson has got a monster for par at 12... NAILED IT! The fist pump of Thor follows that saver from 30 feet, that could be a pivotal moment in this final round... Fowler dabs in his par putt, both remain -15...

Did you know? US PGA Championship is the most lucrative major

Some say the US PGA Championship is the least coveted of the four golf majors. To make up for that however, it has the biggest prize fund of $10m. The winner takes home a cool $1.8m.

Stenson, Fowler & Mickelson lead on -15

McIlroy finds the fairway with his tee shot at 12, Stenson makes birdie at 13 to make it a three-way tie of the lead. It will soon be a two-way tie before Phil is making a bit of a ricket of the 12th...

Mickelson yanks his second left of the green at 12, a peach of a pitch from Stenson up ahead on 13. Justin Rose in with a smart 67 for -8, Scotland's Marc Warren in with a 67 for -9. Fowler leaves his second just short at 12, but he could get close with his chip...

Tremendous tee shot at the par-three 11th from McIlroy, the world number one looks reenergised. He's got an uphill putt from about eight feet for birdie and a tie of the lead. Stenson pings an iron down the 13th, Fowler lets rip with a three wood at 12. "Mashed potato," roars a simple soul from behind the ropes as Mickelson lets fly. Presumably "mashed potato" is local dialect for "he's missed the fairway".

Fowler & Mickelson lead on -15

Tremendous from Fowler, that was gravel in the guts stuff from eight feet out for par. He bumps fists with Mickelson before setting off for the 12th tee, it's the golfing equivalent of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, wouldn't want to come across these two at the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

Fowler & Mickelson lead on -15

Fowler putting from afar at 11... comes up well short, needs a knee-knocking saver. Just like this one from Stenson at 12, that's a beauty to stay -14. MICKELSON BIRDIE! He joins playing partner Fowler in the lead on -15, but for how long?

McIlroy eagles 10, -14

Wiesberger for birdie at 10... he'll pop in for par, stays -11. McIlroy now, stalking the hole, getting ready to launch a grenade into the top of the leaderboard... BOOM! Nails his eagle putt, gets back to -14 and one off the lead. Plenty of golf left yet...

Stenson starting to blink as things get tricky, he's found sand with his second at 12. Mickelson on tee at the par-three 11th, that's magic, birdie chance. Not so good from Fowler, but he's got a whiff in his nostrils, even from that range.

McIlroy needs something from this par-five 10th... and he might get something, that's one of the shots of the day, a crackerjack three wood to within about eight feet of the hole. That's for eagle...

Fowler birdies 10, leads on -15

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Stenson and Ilonen get their tee shots safely away at 12. Fowler for birdie at 10... long right-to-lefter... in it drops, he takes the outright lead on 15 under par. But for how long? Mickelson takes aim, fires, squeezes it by, stays -14.

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Dave Baker: The Americans should definitely pair Fowler and Mickelson in the Ryder cup based on this. Both feeding off each other.

Some body: Several top players pulling out their top game! Won't be Rory's day today by the looks of things.

Stenson in conference with his caddie, Gareth Lord, over his birdie putt on 11 but when it comes to hitting it, the Swede doesn't commit. Stays -14. Fowler with a wedge into the 10th, but that's pretty ordinary by his standards. Mickelson has the ball above his feet in the second cut but what a shot that is, both have chances for a birdie and the outright lead...

Wiesberger hasn't given up hope just yet, that's a good saver at nine for a front nine of 36 and -11 overall. McIlroy also makes par, stays two off the lead. Mickelson thrashes his second into more rough at 10, leaves himself a tricky third. Fowler laying up, but he's on the shorter stuff...

Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano on Twitter after a final-round 71 to finish even par: "Watching the golf in a bar in Louisville airport. Everyone's cheering for Mickelson, a few for Rickie. I'm with Stenson."

Top-five Rickie

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Only Jack Nicklaus (1971 and 1973) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2005) have finished in the top five of all four majors in a season in the modern era. Rickie Fowler, currently tied for the lead, will join them if he places in the top five today.

McIlroy taking nine iron from 150 yards at nine... misses the green. Mickelson going with his biggest stick off the tee at 10... the crowd whoop and holler as if Mickelson has just turned his golf ball into wine. In truth, it hits a large man sitting to the left of the fairway. Fowler, however, is high and handsome...

Stenson, Mickelson & Fowler lead on -14

Stenson on 10, that's a nervy birdie putt. Are things getting to the Swede as they approach the business end? Mickelson makes that birdie, we now have two men in black and a man in tangerine atop the leaderboard. Birdie for Ilonen of Finland at 10, he's -12.

Two tees, three balls, simple: Colin Montgomerie critical of PGA organisers

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Scotland's Colin Montgomerie, who had to finish the 18th hole after the rain delay, said the PGA of America should have taken the same action as the R&A at last month's Open championship by using a two-tee start, with players in three-balls instead of pairs, in the third round for the first time in its 154-year history.

"They're not going to finish tonight and nobody wants to be here on Monday, nobody," said Montgomerie. "Instead of having two guys every 10 minutes, you'd have six people finishing every 10 minutes."

McIlroy bombs one down the par-four ninth, here's a shot of Westwood at 13th, playing a doozy of an approach. Donaldson is doing his Ryder Cup hopes no harm at all - birdie at 10, another birdie chance at 11 after a sweet tee shot.

Stenson on song

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Henrik Stenson (-14) shot 30 on the front nine to be co-leader. That is the Swede's best nine holes in a major.

Els & Walker clubhouse leaders, -11

Jimmy Walker is also in with a 65, he joins Els as clubhouse leader. Fowler with his second at nine, safely on, not much more than that. Pin on the top level, Mickelson taking aim... what a shot, he's got a 10-footer for birdie and a share of the lead.

Els clubhouse leader, -11

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Mickelson pumps his tee shot down the ninth, that's fine. McIlroy leaves his birdie par just right at eight, stays two off the lead. Els for a two at the last, from long-range, doesn't hit it. But if he pops that in it's a round of 65 for the clubhouse lead on 11 under. Palmer makes a long one disappear on the 10th, that's an eagle for 11 under...

McIlroy into the guts of the green at eight, birdie chance from about 20 feet. Birdie for Dubuisson at the par-three 14th, the Frenchman with the beard of the Laughing Cavalier and the Mona Lisa smile is -10. Fowler pings one off the tee at nine, Stenson tugs his drive left at 10, he won't be getting down in two from there...

Fowler pops in for par at eight, stays in the lead on -14. Mickelson conjures some magic from the sand and taps in for a par to stay one back. There end the faint hopes of Ernie Els, bogey at 17 to drop back to -10.

McIlroy birdies seven, -12

Apologies if I neglect to mention your favourite player from here on in, but there's so many buns being thrown at the very top of the leaderboard that that's where my focus must be. McIlroy makes birdie at seven, gets back to 12 under and two off the lead...

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

"Stenson's a steamroller. When he gets going he can overpower golf courses."

Stenson birdies nine, joint-leader on -14

Mickelson off the tee at the par-three eighth, and he finds the sand. Fowler, meanwhile, is dancing. Henrik makes birdie on nine, from about 18 feet, and the Swede joins Fowler atop the leaderboard. Sabres being rattled all over the course, this is compelling...

Nine-time major winner Gary Player on Twitter: Looking good today Henrik Stenson all in black. Let's go #BlackKnight

South African Player is nicknamed the Black Knight for always wearing black outfits on the course.

McIlroy comes up just short of the bunker with his approach at seven, but an up and down there will get him right back in the conversation, as people like to say nowadays. Day makes a longun disappear at eight to stop the bleeding, the Aussie back to -10...

Fowler birdies seven, leads on -14

Fowler makes no mistakes from five feet, and the man in orange takes the outright lead...

Mickelson birdie at seven, -13

Mickelson from about 20 feet at seven... curls, left to right, misses by a whisker's whisker. But it's a birdie and he's in a three-way share of the lead on 13 under. But for how long? Here's Rickie...

Ernie on 17, needs something here... flyer out of the rough, over the back. Fowler from the sand at seven... almost sticks it in, he'll have a five-footer to grab the outright lead on -14...

McIlroy could do with some boom-bang-a-bang off the tee at seven, just to get some confidence back, and he finds one, straight down the middle. Rory will be able to hear the effusive support for Mickelson up ahead, and that might be getting to him.

Final hole winner?

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Els was unable to maintain that hot streak down the back nine, four straight birdies between 12 and 15, he stays two off the lead. Birdie for Jim Furyk at 10, he's now 10 under. Fowler with his approach at seven, going with hybrid... slices it into the sand. Mickelson all over the flag with his second, makeable eagle putt to get to -14...

McIlroy bogey at six, -11; Stenson birdie at seven, -13

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McIlroy missed that par putt and he falls two behind the leaders, as does Wiesberger. Not looking good for McIlroy or his Austrian, they're the only two men over par in the top 30. Stenson nails his birdie at seven, he makes it a two-way tie at the top with Fowler...

McIlroy from the sand at six and he'll have that for par, from about six feet. Not a gimme by any means. Ilonen very nearly makes his longun disappear at 10 but he'll tap in to stay -11. Wiesberger, now, with a right-to-lefter from 10 feet at six... misses right, shot gone...

Fun at Poulter's expense

Some of you may have noticed Ian Poulter vented his anger at a major airline on social media this week after claiming a booking he made was changed at their discretion.

His frustration with the error and some negative comments about his own reaction crept onto Twitter throughout the tournament but it seems he is now in the mood to make light of it. Or at least Graeme McDowell is.

McDowell tweets: "Is that Ian Poulter sitting back in coach? #downgrade."

Graeme McDowell

Poulter finished even par for the tournament, McDowell meanwhile was one under.

Schwartzel clubhouse leader, -9

Many thanks JJ, this is Ben Dirs through to the close. You join me as Henrik Stenson is finding sand off the tee at eight, before Ilonen shanks his right of the green. Schwartzel birdies the last and is in with a 66 for the clubhouse lead on nine under.

Stenson moves level with Fowler

No problem for Stenson. The Swede knocks in a four to go four under for the day and tie with Fowler at the top. Meanwhile, it isn't getting any easier for McIlroy...

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Up ahead on seven, Henrik Stenson carries the water with a spectacularly long second shot, before rolling his eagle putt close for an almost-certain birdie. That would put him alongside Fowler....

Mickelson could get out of a jail with that wedge. He's lethal. Lefty dinks his third down slope and within five foot, before Fowler goes inside his playing partner with the putter.

Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler are matching each other almost ball for ball out there in the Valhalla sunshine. After Day and Oosthuizen finally leave the sixth green, the American pair both push their second shots into the closely-mown collection area to the right. The 495-yard par four has been difficult all week, with only 20 birdies being sunk.

Jay Townsend

Former European Tour golfer on BBC Radio 5 live

"If you're a slow player, playing alongside Sam Torrance back in the day, he would have a word with you. Nowadays the players aren't policing themselves."

Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler caught up with Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen on the fifth and sixth, joined shortly afterwards by Rory McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger as the players battle the high humidity.

Meanwhile, about 500 yards behind him, Rory McIlroy waits patiently on the tee as a backlog starts to develop on the sixth. Frustrating, especially when your overnight lead has already disappeared...

A monster of a putt for Jason Day on six - he's about 30 yards away! I'd need a wedge from there. He thumps it over the hill, at a perfect speed, but it stays right to leave him with a gettable par putt. A wonderful effort by the Aussie.

Poulter unhappy with Valhalla conditions

Ian Poulter, after a one over 72 to finish level par, groaning about the conditions at Valhalla: "We pretty much took relief on every fairway and twice we had to take relief from the fairway into the rough," he moans.

"It was laughable in the end. We couldn't even see anything apart from water. Most guys had to change outfits. There's only so much water an umbrella can keep off you."

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Ernie Els is still trying to tear up that record book, firing a bold birdie putt at the 14th pin. It swirls round from right to left but refuses to drop. He stays at 11 under, two behind Fowler, with a three.

Meanwhile, on the par-5 10th, that mysterious Frenchman - Victor Dubuisson - knocks in a chip for an eagle three. Va va voom!

McIlroy is short of the flag, on the left fringe close to the bunker and (inspired by the pair of Fowler and Mickelson ahead of him?) goes with the chip and run. The world number one can't match his American rivals though and comes up short. Wiesberger steadies himself for a short-par putt - and makes no mistake. Neither does Wee Mac. Decent up and downs for the last pairing - they remain one behind Rickie Fowler.

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Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

"Around the green, shots off the grass, Phil is the best of all time. He's also a great playing companion. Even if he's trying to beat you, he'll do everything he can to help Rickie Fowler win."

Forget that top drawer, Rickie Fowler has gone to the 'special' cupboard! The American dinks one from the edge, it's perfectly weighted and drops into the cup to the delight of the whooping gallery. Even Mickelson breaks out into a grin.

Fowler has the outright lead!

Only two men in the top 30 are over par in their final round - and one of those is Rory McIlroy. After a long wait on the fifth tee, the Northern Irishman tears his drive down the middle.

But it is all going off in front of him. Phil Mick - that wedge magician - chips within a tap in of a par. What has Fowler got in his short game locker?

Grow golf this way

American pro Ben Crane tweets: Of all the "grow golf" initiatives out there, I think having Phil, Rory and Rickie tied for the lead at a major is the best idea yet.

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Seeing an overhead shot of the fifth fairway, where Mickelson and Fowler size up their approach shots, makes it scarcely believable that there were ponds of water on the course about two hours ago.

Not good news for Lefty. His downswing is a little steep and the closed face of his mid-iron means he has to give a big shout of 'Fore!". His ball plonks on to the heads of the crowd gathered to the right of the green. Fowler deliberates long and hard before pushing his second a touch right too. He's on the fringe though.

On four, it is a par apiece for McIlroy and Wiesberger, who has made a solid start with a quartet of evens. He's handling the pressure better than his playing partner at the moment.

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Swede Stenson's playing partner Mikko Illonen - it's an all Nordic affair - saves par on five to remain just a birdie away from the leading quintet.

Keeping up with this madness? If not, here's the latest state of play....

Rickie Fowler bounces back from that mistake on the second in style! He pulls back that bogey straight away with a birdie on four, moving into a four-way tie on 12 under.

Four-way tie? Scrap that. It's a FIVE-WAY tie now as Henrik Stenson joins Messrs McIlroy, Mickelson, Wiesberger and Fowler in the leading pack.

Get involved

There are a tonne of players lining up for this, making a play-off more likely. If this final round goes into Monday, your dedicated live text team will be giving up their precious days off to cover it.

With that in mind, we want your answers - what's the biggest sacrifice you've made for your sport? Tweet #bbcgolf.

Change of pace

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But the Open Champion starts Sunday with two putts on holes one and two and three on the third....

Ernie eyeing history

There could be a potential 62 out there today, to break the lowest single round in a major. Ernie Els is flying and eyeing another piece of history, this from Golf Channel statistician Justin Ray: Ernie Els started day T23. No player outside top-20 entering final round of major has ever gone on to win.

I'll tell you a man who is not buckling...Ernie Els. The hulking South African cans another birdie on 11 - his sixth of the final round - to go one short of McIlroy, Mickelson and Wiesberger.

Uh oh. Squeaky bum time for Rory McIlroy - who pushes that tiddler down the right of the tin cup. He drops back into a three-way tie with a bogey on three.

Not the most impressive putt you'll ever see from McIlroy. He leaves his birdie putt about five foot short on three - chance for Wiesberger? No. He leaves himself with some unnecessary work to do.

Rory McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger both find the heart of the third green, birdie chances ahoy for the final pair.

One man who is already aboard that birdie train is Wales' Jamie Donaldson. Donaldson drains one from distance on five, moving to nine under and four adrift of top spot.

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McIlroy's caddie takes out the flag on two, but his boss can't find the target and will settle for a par. Playing partner Wiesberger takes the same.

And here's Phil! Mickelson knocks in his birdie effort on three and Fowler, not to be outdone, follow suits. Those two are prowling around the top of the leaderboard like hungry foxes stalking their prey...

Whoops of delight greet an almost-perfect pair of tee shots from Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson on the third. Lefty stick his pin high, eight foot to the left, before his younger, brighter-dressed pal manages to land his effort inside that. Beautiful.

Weisberger plants his tee shot on two into the right-hand bunker, but walks up to find a clean lie in the firm sand. The Austrian catches his second a little heavy and it runs up short of the green. Next up is McIlroy. The Northern Irishman turns his second over a little and the ball skips off the back.

Big Ernie Els (because that's his full name) scrawls another minus on to his scorecard with a three on the par-four ninth. That means the South African goes out in a five-under 30, just three behind McIlroy. Bet he's glad the PGA chiefs didn't abandon today's play during that heavy deluge earlier - like he suggested they should have. For your information - the lowest round in a major is 63...

Rickie's mistake

BBC

Rickie Fowler takes a penalty drop after finding the water in the thick stuff on two, but recovers to stick a brilliant third on to the dancefloor. Still a big ask to avoid dropping an early shot....

Wiesberger and McIlroy have similar length 15+ foot putts on the first, the Austrian steps up first and leaves his effort short. On three, Henrik Stenson sinks a two to move 11 under - just two behind leader McIlroy.

Day demands the flag is whipped out as he tries to chip in from the right edge, but rolls up just short of the gaping hole. Behind him on the second tee is Rickie Fowler - and he swipes one left into the same danger where Day memorably waded into yesterday.

Jason Day into the second, going with eight iron... misses by a few feet to the right. Wiesberger is a big boy and here he is going with wedge from 160-odd yards at the first. Decent, not great. McIlroy, too, is safely on...

Jittery July, agreeable August: Chilled out Wiesberger ready to strike

EPA

Put yourself in the shoes of Bernd Wiesberger. How do you think you'd sleep, picturing yourself in the final pairing of a major championship alongside world number one Rory McIlroy?

"I had a good night's sleep and quite a relaxing morning," said the 28-year-old, unfamiliar with the business end of major golf but by no means fazed.

"It's unique so I go out there with no particular expectations. I've got nothing to lose and I'll enjoy being in that position. Yesterday I was every pleased with the way I handled myself, playing with Phil Mickelson.

"I had a struggle leading up to the Open Championship, which was disappointing, and now I'm looking to turn things around."

After finishing second at his home tournament in early June, the Lyoness Open, the world number 70 has missed three cuts in five tournaments ahead of the US PGA championship.

Mickelson (1) -11

McIlroy with the big stick and it looks like he's sliced that into the rough to the right. Wiesberger goes the same way but finds the shorter stuff. Mickelson kicks off with a long-range birdie at the first, that's massive, he moves to -11. Not so Fowler, he stays -11...

What a difference a year makes

Rory McIlroy's form in 2014 has offered a consistency lacking 12 months ago, when a change of clubs made headlines and prompted a number of poor results. One year on, he averages two shots a round less, which equates to an improvement of eight strokes per tournament.

BBC Sport

Walker (7) -9

Jimmy Walker, playing with Els, did birdie seven to get to nine under. Here's McIlroy striding to the first, about to get chocs away...

Stenson (1) -10

Stenson also birdies the first to move to 10 under, it's turning into a bunfight up there. Fowler looks for all the world like he's hooked his tee shot into the trees but the camera suddenly reveals he's cleared them and made the fairway on the other side. Mickelson, too, is safely away. Another birdie chance for Els at eight...

With a little help from my friends: Fowler and Mickelson seek to overhaul McIlroy

AP

Rickie Fowler, the nearly man of the majors in 2014, reckons playing with compatriot Phil Mickelson could give the Americans the edge as they stalk leader Rory McIlroy.

"Playing alongside Phil it'll be a good time, hopefully we can feed off each other and get something going. We'll see if we can give Rory a bit of a run," said the orange-clad 25-year-old, who always wears his Oklahoma State University colours for the final round of tournaments.

"It's nice playing with friends. Phil's definitely been a mentor. We'll have a good time and hopefully use it to build momentum."

Ilonen (1) -10, Furyk (4) -9

Ilonen birdies the first to get to 10 under, Furyk is nine under after a birdie at four. Westwood's birdie putt at four breaks too much and he stays eight under. Oosthuizen and Day set up birdie chances at the first, we're all set for the Mickelson and Fowler show back on the tee...

Schwartzel (11) -9

Four birdies between seven and 11 for Schwartzel, he's tied for seventh on nine under.

Get involved

As coverage of what looks to be a birdie-filled final round continues on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra, the team in Kentucky have posed you all the following question:

If Rory McIlroy adds this championship to the Open he won last month, would his be the biggest achievements in British sport this summer?

Send us your views to #bbcgolf or text 85058.

Valhalla's play-off history

Valhalla has rich play-off form. The US PGA has gone to a nail-biting play-off on each of the last two occasions that the Kentucky course has hosted the tournament.

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In 1996, Mark Brooks defeated fellow American Kenny Perry with a birdie on the first extra hole.

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And in 2000, Tiger Woods defeated Bob May in the first three-hole aggregate score play-off in major history. The 24-year-old made a birdie on the 16th hole and finished with two pars, as May parred all three holes.

Ryan Palmer is, indeed, 10 under and three off the lead after that birdie at the first. Next off the first tee are the Nordic combination of Stenson and Ilonen...

Here's Levy at seven after two big old thumps but he leaves his chip short of the green. Former two-time champion Vijay Singh is in with a 69 for three under overall, Schwartzel bends in a birdie putt on 10 to move into that gaggle on eight under. What is the correct collective noun for golfers? One lady I once knew suggested 'a tedium of golfers'. We don't speak any longer...

Nice saver from Rose at eight, he stays five under. Palmer with a peach of a second at the first, he should pop that in to get to 10 under and three off the lead.

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

"We don't play lift, clean and place for mud balls. We do it for relief from casual water. Mud balls are part of the game. Luck is part of the game, it always has been."

Play-off scenario

Because of that unwanted rain interruption, we are resigned to a late finish tonight and - even if there are no more stoppages - the tournament could still go into Monday. That's because a play-off will be needed if two or more players are tied after 72 holes.

If necessary, there would be a three-hole aggregate score shootout on the 13th, 17th and 18th holes. And the early chat from Valhalla is that the contenders would have to book their hotel room for another night and return to the course after a good sleep.

US vice-captain - or is he? - putting for birdie on one and he cosies one up there and taps in for par, stays eight under. Garcia with a 12-footer for birdie at five, moves to six under.

Rose with a peach of an approach at seven and he raps in his birdie putt to get to five under. It's as if that deluge never happened a couple of hours back, looks dry as a bone out there now. Ryan Palmer on the first tee and he ding-dongs his drive straight down the middle. Furyk drains a longun on two, moves to -8.

The Rory v Tiger debate from American eyes

BBC Radio 5 live

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ESPN analyst and former caddie Michael Collins chatting with Iain Carter and Jay Townsend, weighing in on the Tiger Woods v Rory McIlroy debate.

"Let's remember Tiger was really engaging with the media early in his career, until he got burned. And Rory's people have already started saying 'he's not going into the media centre', 'he's only answering three questions' etc.

"Winning trumps all of it. If Tiger was that much of a jerk he wouldn't have billboards for Nike in Guatemala. The more Rory wins the more his face is going to be out there. When he gets to eight majors, let's see if we think the same way. But Rory's not polarising, nobody hates him."

Els for a fourth straight birdie from about 15 feet on six, he's now nine under and lowest out on course. And only four shots off the lead...

Birdies at seven and eight from former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and he's now seven under. Wood stiffs his approach to within a couple of feet at 10, another birdie coming up.

AP

More birdies for Els and Walker on five, that pair are cutting a swathe through the leaderboard, up to eight under now. Joost Luiten - that rare thing, a Dutch golfer - opens up with a birdie to get to -8, as does Lee Westwood.

Garcia leaves his birdie putt short at three, as Mickelson is pictured striding through the clubhouse, head to toe in black, like Lee Van Cleef in For a Few Dollars More. I think I saw spurs on the back of his spikes, but I might have been mistaken...

Listen to the action live now on Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 live

A quick reminder that BBC Radio 5 Live is now on air until, hopefully, the tournament ends later on Sunday (early hours of Monday UK time). Listen in, while you continue to read along here.

Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit

"We're talking a five-hour round here for a two-ball."

Last man out Rory McIlroy tees off at 16.19pm local time and the sun sets just after 20.40pm. There are also thunderstorms forecast. Ok, so, what's everyone doing on Monday?

Get involved

Rob, Leicester: I see yet another amateur (Andrew 19.54) is laying claim to drive the ball over 280 yards. I do wish some would look at the PGA Tour stats before fantasising about their length off the tee. I'm a low single figure player and considered a long hitter, and my average drive is nearer 250 yards. 280 virtually puts Andrew in the top 100 on the Tour. Dream on!

Ernie is two under through four, seven under for the week. There looks like there's a 64 out there somewhere. Jimmy Walker picks up birds at three and four, he's seven under as well. England's Lee Westwood about to tee off at the first...

Bristol's Chris Wood holes a bunker escape at seven for birdie and -3, Olesen lets one go at 14, he's now -5. Here's Rory on the range, chucking a few wedges down there. White pants in these conditions, he's got to be crackers.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell had a rickety finish today, bogeys at 16 and 17, but notched up a birdie on 18 for a 69 and -1 overall. Levy moves to -8 courtesy of a birdie at four, that's still five off the lead. Garcia opens up with two pars to remain -5, including a ballsy saver at two.

McIlroy caught on camera

Rory McIlroy was the focus of many a TV camera during the rain delay and the leader was caught entering his pin on his mobile phone by one TV company. Hence, the Northern Irishman tweets: "Passcode changed... Now time to play some golf!" Lovely stuff.

Good early round from Offaly's Shane Lowry today, a four-under 67. Went off the rails on Friday and Saturday, but he's under par at the finish. Warren of Scotland out of the traps with a 15-foot birdie at the first, he moves to -6. Ernie Els, who finished third in this event in 1995 and 2007, picks up a shot at the par-three third to get to -6

Speaking of elderly fellas, here's Kenny Perry birdieing seven to get to five under. Frenchman Alexander Levy picks up birdies at one and three to get to seven under, lowest on the course. Scotland's Marc Warren and American Brooks Koepka are playing the first, after that it's Bill Haas and another Frenchman, Victor Dubuisson.

Rory's $50,000 ball

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The ball used by Rory McIlroy on the final hole of his Open Championship win has sold for $52,000 (£31,000). Yes, you did read that correctly.

Englishman Lee Horner caught the ball at the end of McIlroy's round and it attracted 22 international bids at auction, reaching a sum which is the second-highest ever paid for a golf ball.

"Maybe this is Rory's thing. If he wins the PGA on Sunday, some lucky fan might have another $50,000 (£33,301) ball," said the auction company's co-founder, Ryan Carey.

The most expensive ball sold at auction saw a collector pay $55,865 in April 2011 for a vintage Bobby Jones autographed ball.

Get involved

Andrew from Newcastle: Not bad in terms of rain but I once played in a tournament near Redcar where it was so windy that the winning longest drive, playing into said wind, was just shy of 120yds!!! I normally hit the ball 280+off the tee but managed a paltry 105yds. Downwind was fun though.

Denmark's Olesen nails a birdie on 12, moves to five under for his round and six under for the week. Monty leaves his bogey putt short on 18 and walks off with a round of 75 for five over overall. Not bad for an elderly fella.

Here's Monty trudging down the 18th fairway, his first shot will be a 214 yard approach. Actually, looks like he's already lumped one up there, he's only got a putter in his mitts. Sunny, now, in Lousville, and muggy, too.

Righto, Ben Dirs in the chair as they prepare to reload at Valhalla after the rain-induced ceasefire. I'm sure everything that needs to be said has been said, so probably best to stick to the golf. There's the hooter, we're back under way...

And that is my stint as a live weather text commentator over - at least for about the same time as it takes for a thunderstorm to pass over Valhalla. Now Ben Dirs is stepping on to the tee to talk you through the golf....

You can have all the technology in the world but sometimes the old-fashioned methods work just as well. And this is perfectly illustrated by an army of officious-looking gentlemen stamping furiously on to several towels laid out on the first tee.

McIlroy cool, calm and collected

One man not fazed by the wet weather was Rory McIlroy. While his opponents today are scurrying around changing their flights home or envisioning lifting a first major title, the Northern Irishman is intent on another win.

"It all feels quite normal. I think it might not feel that way to some of the other guys on the leaderboard," said the world number one when he arrived at Valhalla.

AP

Get involved

Jenni in Newtownards: There will be so much nervous energy buzzing about in the clubhouse at the minute as these players wait to go out onto this very wet course. The winner of this PGA Championship will be the golfer who can manage their emotions and nervousness in the best way. At the minute I'd back the experience of Phil Mickelson and the confidence of Rory McIlroy to deal with this situation in the best manner.

Rain? What rain? The skies are brighter above Valhalla as a few rays of sunshine threaten to cover the fairways. The bays on the practice ground are packed as the players limber up ahead of the restart. Five minutes to go.

Revised tee times (all BST)

20:34: Graham DeLaet (Can), Steve Stricker (USA)

20:43: Ryan Palmer (USA), Jamie Donaldson (Wal)

20:52: Henrik Stenson (Swe), Mikko Ilonen (Fin)

21:01: Jason Day (Aus), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

21:10: Rickie Fowler (USA), Phil Mickelson (USA)

21:19: Rory McIlroy (Nir), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)

Revised tee times (all BST)

19:40: Marc Warren (Sco), Brooks Koepka (USA)

19:49: Bill Haas (USA), Victor Dubuisson (Fra)

19:58: Brandt Snedeker (USA), Danny Willett (Eng)

20:07: Joost Luiten (Ned), Jim Furyk (USA)

20:16: Kevin Chappell (USA), Lee Westwood (Eng)

20:25: Hunter Mahan (USA), Adam Scott (Aus)

Get involved

We asked who you are backing to emerge victorious and what are the worst conditions you have ever played in. Keep the thoughts coming via text on 81111 or Twitter using #bbcgolf.

Blake from Balham: Remarkable weather!! Reminds me of the US Open tennis a few years back, who says it always rains in Britain!

Good spot sir. Here's a reminder about the soggy 2009 US Open at Flushing Meadows.

Player reaction

England's Lee Westwood, who is six shots behind leader Rory McIlroy at seven under, says the rain delay will not hamper his preparation too much.

"It's not that much of a disruption for me because I hadn't started my round," he tells Sky Sports. "I will just pick up where I left off on the range - I had only hit four or five balls."

Player reaction

Ernie Els admits a lot of the players were unhappy after being told to stay on the course before the decision was made to suspend play.

"We were left out on the course without any transport," moaned the South African on Sky Sports. "We have the technology these days to see the weather coming and if there had been any lightning in that storm a few people could have badly affected."

Play to resume

USA's Hunter Mahan tweets: Fifteen minute warm-up for the guys on the course. Changing intervals of tee times for the rest of the players. Never heard of that.

PLAY TO RESUME

Play in the final round at Valhalla will resume at 19:40 BST, announces the US PGA.

The last tee-time, which is the final pairing of Rory McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger, will be 21:19 BST.

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A pair of Valhalla greenkeepers use their squeegees to shift water on the first fairway.

Player reaction

Four-time major winner Ernie Els says PGA chiefs should "call it a day" and resume the final round at Valhalla on Monday.

"I've never seen a course this wet," the South African tells Sky Sports. "The water was almost up to your ankles and was running down the fairways."

Plenty of birdies

PGA Championship

This flock of ducks made the most of the water which flooded Valhalla.

Reuters

Course workers work to clear rain water off one of the Valhalla fairways.

They say a picture paints a thousand words. So rather than bumbling my way through this rain-enforced break at Valhalla, how about a few pictures to show you how bad the weather has been? Go on then...

BBC Sport's Conor McNamara: Valhalla Golf Club gripped by the panic of people trying to change flights out of here tomorrow.

We still have no idea if a Monday finish is certain, Francesco Molinari thinks the lead pairings will struggle to finish but nothing has been confirmed as yet.

Waterball

Just to give you an idea about the state of the Valhalla greens not too long ago. This is a pin and a cup. Good luck putting in that...

PGA Championship

Player reaction

Englishman Chris Wood will have seen some rain before, that's for sure, but the Bristol boy is concerned the PGA's decision not to enforce fairway placings this week could mean a Monday finish.

"There's no placing. So when we go back out there it's going to be ten times worse. We've all got flights to catch," says the world number 90.

"Among the players and caddies we've all said there should be placing. But they like to do things differently in majors. I heard Ernie Els walked off the course."

Player reaction

Lee Westwood tweets: White trousers were maybe not the best idea I've ever had!

Westwood was due to tee-off at 18:45 BST and is at seven under, six off the lead.

Cats and dogs

AFP

Now I have no idea what these colours mean, but I would guess it points towards rain. I'd hazard a guess at heavy rain too. Anyway, this comes from local Wlky meteorologist Susanne Horgan, who tweets: "More showers headed toward Valhalla. Very unsettled weather for today."

It's official - the rain has stopped. I repeat, the rain has stopped!

Remarkably, within about five minutes of the dark clouds moving on, the Valhalla greens look almost as perfect as they did about two hours ago. The fairways and bunkers? Not so. They still look like your local duck pond.

I know what you're thinking - what's the forecast looking like for later?

Get some practice in instead?

Joost Luiten

"This was the driving range!!", tweets Joost Luiten, who is currently seven under par. Like the course itself, the Valhalla driving range has been peppered with water.

McIlroy reckons he has not been given any indication about when play might resume. So, like the rest of us, he must sit tight and wait. I wonder how these professionals pass the time during these wet'n'wild breaks? A bit of snooker in the clubhouse perhaps?

Player reaction

Rory McIlroy, who is scheduled to tee off in the final pairing at 20:00 BST, on Sky Sports: "There's not much you can do about this weather - you just have to wait it out and hopefully we will get the chance to get out there and play.

"This course has taken a soaking this week and it has been another big downpour. Hopefully it will dry out quickly and we get to play some golf today."

Hang on! I think - think - the rain has stopped, just as championship leader Rory McIlroy hops out of a people carrier as he arrives at Valhalla.

Player reaction

Italy's Francesco Molinari, who is level par and has just three holes of his final round left, says the players have been told by US PGA bosses that there will be a delay of at least an hour.

"It's like a swimming pool at the minute," says the European Ryder Cup player. "I think it's going to be hard for the final few groups to finish. It will be interesting to see. So far not playing preferred lies has been fine, but I think the course is a lot more wet than the last few days."

Player reaction

Twitter

England's six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo: Wow!

No other words need from the great man, who tweets this miserable picture from Valhalla.

While the drenched players troop off the course and back to the clubhouse, the Wanamaker Trophy stands out alone on the side of the 18th green, refusing to be beaten by this torrential downpour. A flock of ducks are enjoying themselves, paddling about in one of the ponds - sorry, fairways. At least someone is happy out there...

These are grim pictures at Valhalla. Large swathes of the finely-cut fairways and pristine greens are underwater and, with heavy rain and possible thunder storms forecast for later, this could be a long day. Go to the shop, get some food supplies and caffeine tablets, it's going to a late one.

Get involved

How have we been up and running in this live text commentary for over an hour and not asked for your input. Shocking. Anyway, this rain delay is the perfect time for a call to arms.

Who are you backing to emerge victorious? What are the worst conditions you have ever played in? Whatever you want to get off your chest then this is the place to do it. Tweet using #bbcgolf or text 81111. Come on, don't leave us struggling for words during this enforced break...

Instagram

England's Lee Westwood, scheduled to tee off at 18:45 BST, on Instagram: "Sunday afternoon. Empty range. Not good!"

European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, working at Valhalla as a television pundit, reckons that the course will dry up relatively quickly once the rain stops hammering down in Kentucky. Hmmm, I'm no meteorologist, but I'm not so sure about that prediction. We can see pools of water gathering around several of the holes...

BreakingPLAY SUSPENDED

The PGA powers that be give the nod - play is temporarily suspended at Valhalla because of a waterlogged course.

Oh. My. Word. Valhalla is looking like Venice at the moment. Canals of rainfall are forming on the greens, particularly the sixth, which all points to the players being dragged off the course soon. It is beginning to look unplayable.

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Jay Townsend

former European Tour golfer & BBC Radio 5 live pundit on Tiger Woods' Ryder Cup selection

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"I don't see Tiger being a Ryder Cup pick. I don't care what you say, he's not healthy. I don't think Tom Watson really thought he was a viable choice the way he's played this year.

"I think he's going to force Watson's hand. There's a lot of history going back between Watson and Tiger and Tiger holds a grudge. Watson said a lot of things when Tiger was going through his difficult times, we'll call it scandal, and that's the type of thing Tiger wouldn't have appreciated.

"I think he's going to force Watson to make a decision. I think he's going to make Watson squirm a little bit."

More worryingly for Woods is that his hopes of appearing at next month's Ryder Cup look bleak than the grey sky above Valhalla.

Ex-USA Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger says he would not pick Woods as a wildcard for next month's tournament at Gleneagles.

"He has gone from the artist to the engineer," he said. "It is difficult to watch a Vincent Van Gogh paint by numbers. We want to see Tiger come back and get all of this stuff out of his head."

Tiger tamed by Valhalla

"Where's Tiger Woods?" did I hear you say? At home in Florida watching on the television, no doubt. The 14-time major winner was a doubt for Valhalla with a long-standing back injury and he looked far from fit as he missed the halfway cut.

Woods, 38, shot a second-round 74 - the same score he carded in the first round - and finished on six over par. It has been a miserable 2014 for the American, who has not made a top-10 finish and earned just £64,543 this season. Least he's not short of a bob or two...

Same objective, differing strategies

Just how do you approach the final day of a major then? Over to reigning European number one Henrik Stenson (-9), 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (-9) and European Ryder Cup hopeful Jamie Donaldson (-8) for some tips.

Stenson: "I hope I can get out of the blocks like I did yesterday. I'd say you've got to shoot two, three under on the front nine. I thought 15 under would be a minimum but you never know with tougher pins today."

Oosthuizen: "It's a day where I'm going to play a different game and hope I can keep it together. I'll start strong and play aggressive."

Donaldson: "It's just another round of golf isn't it? It's just me and the golf course."

None the wiser? Neither are we. The mystique of major golf rolls on. Sit back and enjoy...

BBC Radio 5 live

Rory McIlroy has been talking to BBC Radio 5 live about the mental toll of leading from the front.

"I've got one more day to give it everything I have," says the third-round leader.

"It takes a toll mentally when you're at this end of leaderboard for a few weeks in a row. But I still feel pretty fresh."

AP

Jason Day, who dropped three behind Rory McIlroy on Saturday, is all smiles on the practice ground, despite the rain belting it down. Well, I suppose, the Australian is used to the wet stuff. He didn't hesitate to whip off his shoes and socks on the second yesterday, going wading in the water hazard to find his wayward tee shot. He might have to do that on the fairways today if this miserable weather carries on...

Former world number one Luke Donald is one of the unlucky lot getting drenched, and his mood is not brightened on the long par-four sixth when he pushes his second shot on to the ridge overlooking the green from the right. The Englishman is level after five, three under for the tournament.

Not a sight that anyone wants to see - the Valhalla staff patrolling the greens with their mops. Hope no-one out on the course has left their waterproofs and brollies in the clubhouse.

Over the hill or nerve filled and edgy?

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Rory McIlroy has won three events this year but only led going into the final day in one of them. On that occasion, his six-shot overnight lead at the Open Championship eventually ended up as a two-stroke advantage.

Clever boxing or signs of last-day jitters?

Dark skies hover ominously over Valhalla, before they pour a heap of rain over the players already out on the course. While the men further up the leaderboard go through their final drills, those who know they have next to no chance of winning are getting soaked. But the slinging rain is not stopping Vijay Singh, Thorbjorn Olesen and Ian Poulter sneaking up the leaderboard. The trio are each three under for the day.

Scoring opportunities

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The scoring average for the third round was 69.57 as players found birdies and maximised on the short par four fourth hole. The sub 70 mark is easily the lowest single round average in PGA Championship history.

Fowler and Day's time is nigh - Rose

Reuters

England's Justin Rose (-4), the 2013 US Open champion, knows what it takes to win a major and he is backing Rickie Fowler and Jason Day to join the club.

"Fowler and Day are guys who are going to win majors. They've been knocking on the door for quite some time and they have to think their time will come soon," said the world number five.

Rose has just been welcomed on to the first tee by the announcer - his final round is up and running.

Selected tee-times (all BST)

17:55: Marc Warren (Sco), Brooks Koepka (US)

18:15: Brandt Snedeker (US), Danny Willett (Eng)

18:45: Kevin Chappell (US), Lee Westwood (Eng)

19:15: Ryan Palmer (US), Jamie Donaldson (Wal)

19:35: Jason Day (Aus), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

19:45: Rickie Fowler (US), Phil Mickelson (US)

19:55: Rory McIlroy (NI), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)

But McIlroy dug deep, kept his card ticking over and nicked three birdies in the last four holes to grab a one-stroke lead over Austria's Bernd Wiesberger.

"I'm in the best position I can be in going into tomorrow," he said. "I would rather be the guy that's being chased and have that shot advantage than not."

Quite. McIlroy is out in the last pairing along with Wiesberger at 19:55 BST. Which reminds me - here are the most eye-catching tee times coming up...

It was hardly vintage McIlroy on day three though, which gives hope to the likes of Phil Mick et al.

A filthy hook from the tee on the driveable 292-yard fourth, a pair of dirty duffs around the eighth and 12th greens, plus an overhit approach shot on the 11th, were uncharacteristic errors by the in-form 25-year-old. And they brought smiles to the faces of Sunday golfers up and down the land.

Phil Mickelson, -10 and three behind 25-year-old Rory McIlroy, reckons he needs a 64 or lower to have a chance of pipping the young brigade to the title, with 28-year-old Bernd Wiesberger (-12) and Rickie Fowler, 25, a shot further back.

"I've been waiting for that seven, eight, nine under par round to come together," said Mickelson, 44.

"There are low scores out there tomorrow and I've got to get to seven, eight, nine to have a chance."

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Latest Leaderboard

This is the current top of the pops going into the final round...

BBC

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But, at the moment, it is advantage McIlroy. Wee Mac is a man who is used to that winning feeling, having clinched the Open and World Golf Championship in recent weeks. Who is going to be brave enough to wrestle the final major of 2014 from his grasp? Anyone?

Hello! And welcome to the final day of the US PGA at Valhalla, where Rory McIlroy (the world number one), Phil Mickelson (the experienced major winner), Jason Day and Rickie Fowler (the breakthrough hunters), plus Bernd Wiesberger (the little-known European) are the suspects looking most likely to lift the humongous Wanamaker Trophy on the 18th green. Where they will probably need a hand to lift that beast of silverware.

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The world number one? Tick.

The experienced major winner? Tick.

The breakthrough hunters? Tick.

The little-known European? Tick.

All the usual characters have written themselves into the final-day plot of a major, but only one will top this leaderboard by the time we say goodnight. Expect more drama than a boxed set of Midsomer Murders over the next seven or so hours. Ready?