Australia’s Adam Scott has put himself in a strong position for major championship redemption midway through the third round of the US PGA Championship in South Carolina.

Scott charged into third place on Saturday to sit just a shot behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Vijay Singh as a storm approached Kiawah Island and forced competitors into the clubhouse.

The Queenslander is four-under par through nine holes to be five-under for the tournament as he looks to chase down the two former world No.1s.

Singh is two-under in his third round through seven holes while McIlroy is four-under through nine.

Scott is looking to rebound from his calamitous finish to the Open Championship last month when he squandered a four-shot lead with four holes to play as Ernie Els swept to victory.

Starting three shots off the lead Scott appeared a little out of sorts through his opening four holes, leaving a few chips shorter than he would have liked and missing some gettable birdie putts.

But his round was sparked when he holed out for birdie on the par-three fifth hole from a sandy area left of the pin, giving the 32-year-old the jolt he needed.

He almost holed from 20 feet for birdie on the sixth but settled for par before closing his front nine with three straight birdies.

He slid in a seven-foot putt on the seventh, hit his approach to three feet on the par-three eighth and then holed an eight-metre bomb on the ninth to make the turn in 32.

When the horn sounded he was just short of the 10th green in two.

Playing partner Aaron Baddeley was the next best of the Australians at one-under in a tie for 11th, while Geoff Ogilvy was even-par.

After a strong start Baddeley was bleeding shots in the lead-up to the rain delay.

The Victorian had birdies on the second and third holes, dropped one on the fifth, but had seemingly righted the ship again with a tap-in birdie on the seventh.

But bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes caused a slide back down the leaderboard and his drive on the 10th found the water hazard before the horn sounded.

Overnight co-leader Tiger Woods dropped three shots in his opening seven holes to join Baddeley in 11th, five shots off the pace.