Printable Page
05/17 18:59 CDT Scottie Scheffler storms into a 3-shot lead in the PGA
Championship with another major in sight
Scottie Scheffler storms into a 3-shot lead in the PGA Championship with
another major in sight
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) --- A PGA Championship missing star power got the best in
golf Saturday when Scottie Scheffler delivered a clinic over the closing
stretch at Quail Hollow for a 6-under 65 and a three-shot lead going into the
final round.
Scheffler started his big run with a 3-wood to just inside 3 feet on the
reachable par-4 14th for an eagle, causing so much hysteria that Bryson
DeChambeau had to back off his putt across the lake at the 17th.
It ended with an 8-iron from the seam of a divot to just inside 10 feet for
birdie on the 18th, creating even more space between Scheffler and Alex Noren,
who had a 66 and gets his first shot in a final group along the No. 1 player in
the world.
DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion who has been a major force at golf's biggest
events, briefly took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 15th. And then it all
came undone.
He missed a 4-foot par putt on the 16th. He found the water on the par-3 17th
--- the cheer for Scheffler made him back off a 25-foot bogey putt that he
eventually missed --- and he had to scramble for par to salvage 69 that felt
much better.
DeChambeau was three behind when he finished, six behind when Scheffler got
done with his masterful performance by playing the final five holes in 5-under
par.
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. And then
it became a game of musical chairs for the lead. Nine players had at least a
share of the lead at one point.
One of them was two-time major champion Jon Rahm, who has not seriously
contended in the four majors he has played since joining LIV Golf.
"Hard to express how hungry I may be for a major, about as hungry as anybody
can be in this situation," Rahm said. "Very happy to be in this position."
He finished nearly two hours before Scheffler and figured he would be at least
one shot behind going into the final round. "This golf course is tricky and one
shot is nothing on 18 holes," Rahm said. He now faces a five-shot deficit, but
armed with growing confidence in his game.
Scheffler, remarkably, posted the low score of any round in a major with his
65, which moved him to 11-under 202 as he goes for a third major.
The 3-wood on the 14th was what got it started. The up-and-down for birdie on
the par-5 15th gave him the lead for the first time in the championship.
Scheffler was equally pleased with the finish, wanting the proper conclusion to
such an important round.
He holed an 18-foot birdie putt for one of only six birdies on the day at the
17th, and then finished it off with a closing birdie, each with a slight show
of emotion.
"Big emotion for me," Scheffler said with a smile. "It was an important time in
the round. I wanted to finish off the round the right way. I hit some good
shots down the stretch."
Masters champion Rory McIlroy and defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele had
a long day, nothing to do with each posting a 72. They were supposed to tee off
at 8:25 a.m. and likely would be finished in time for lunch.
With the change to threesomes of both tees, they didn't start until 1:38 p.m.
and were on the other side of Quail Hollow as all the action was on the closing
stretch.
Davis Riley, whose game has been rounding into form since he battled a two-way
miss at the start of the year, made three straight birdies around the turn and
two more on the scorable 14th and 15th holes for a 67. He was at 7---under 206
along with North Carolina native J.T. Poston, who birdied his last hole for a
68.
Rahm was tied for fifth with Si Woo Kim and Jhonattan Vegas, who had two-shot
leads after 18 holes and 36 holes and began Saturday with two straight bogeys.
But he steadied himself and was still in the mix until driving into the water
on the 15th for bogey and finishing out his 73 with a three-putt going on the
18th.
DeChambeau played in the final group at the Masters with McIlroy, and he played
bogey-free through 15 holes until a finish that did more damage than he
realized.
"It cost me three shots and that's what happens here at Quail Hollow," he said.
It left DeChambeau, Rahm and everyone else in a tough spot trying to make up
ground on Scheffler, whose last tournament was an eight-shot victory in the CJ
Cup Byron Nelson.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
|
