Charlotte (North Carolina), May 18: Scottie Scheffler landed a superb eagle on the Par-4 14th as he went into a three-shot lead with one round to go in the 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
Scheffler’s 6-under 65 took him to a aggregate tally of 11-under 202 and he led Alex Noren (66) at 8-under by three as three players including Jon Rahm (67) were tied Tied-third at 7-under. Rahm was among those five shots behind. DeChambeau was six back.
In 2024, Scheffler captured seven official PGA Tour titles, including the Masters, The Players, the Tour Championship and four signature events. He also claimed gold at the Olympic men’s competition in Paris and, to wrap up the year, he successfully defended his Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas.
In 2025 he won his first title earlier this month at CJ Byron Nelson.
Indo-British Aaron Rai, who was fourth after the first day, slipped down further as he carded 74 and is now T-36th, down from T-17 after two days. Akshay. Bhatia missed the halfway cut, while Sahith Theegala withdrew due to a neck strain.
Playing as if he was putting up a clinic, Scheffler, was brilliant on the back nine over the final hour of the day.
Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who at one stage trailed by three, turned that into a three-shot lead over Alex Noren (66), who only last week returned from seven month away with a hamstring injury. He now gets his chance to play in the final group of a major.
Scheffler was not satisfied with taking the lead and he eagled 14th, birdied 15th and then closed with two more on the 17th and the 18th to be 5-under for last five holes.
Rahm, made a run with three straight birdies, was tied third with Davis Riley (67) and J T Poston (68) at 7-under.
Bryson DeChambeau briefly had the lead until his tee shot on the par-3 17th found the water. He was trying to salvage a bogey putt from 25 feet away when the loudest cheer from across the lake by the 14th green made him back off.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy and defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele had a long day. Supposed to tee off at 8:25 a.m. they finally started at 1:38 p.m. Both shot 72 each and were T-49 at 2-over total.
Rahm was tied for fifth with Si Woo Kim and Jhonattan Vegas, who had two-shot leads after 18 holes and 36 holes.
DeChambeau, Rahm and everyone else will try to make up ground on Scheffler, whose latest win, his first of 2025 was by eight shots in THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
The third round was delayed by morning storms, forcing a change in tee times to threesomes off both tees that didn’t start until shortly before noon. Then the lead changed multiple times – nine players had at least a share of the lead at one point.(PTI)
