ANOTHER BIRDIE: SA's Tim Clark celebrates a birdie on the sixth hole during the final round of the 85th PGA Championship at the Oak Hill Country Club.

South African Clark finished alone in third place after firing a spirited 69 for a championship score of one under, one stroke ahead of Germany's Alex Cejka, who emerged from recent obscurity to be Europe's best finisher in fourth place on his own.

Clark, who led the field on the fairways, was the most lively of the pursuers as the day began, making three birdies on his first four holes en route to an outward half of 32 that hoisted him into a share of the lead with Micheel. But a run of three consecutive bogeys from the 10th removed Clark from the picture.

Clarke's compatriot Ernie Els, the major winning presence among the contenders after three rounds wilted, closing with a 71 to join PGA Tour veteran Jay Haas in a share of fifth place, six strokes behind Micheel.