CHARLOTTE, N.C. — PGA Championship Missing Star Power scored the best star power in golf on Saturday when Scotty Schaeffler delivered the clinic in a closing stretch at Quazul Hollow with a 6-under 65 and a three-shot lead into the final round.
Schaeffler began a big run in three feet for the eagle from 3 feet in 14th place on the reachable par-4, causing so much fuss that on the 17th, Bryson Deccanbaugh had to retreat his putt across the lake.
The eight irons finished in 10 feet for birdies on the 18th from the Divot seam, creating more space between Schaeffler and Alex Noren.
Deccanbeau, the US Open Champion, a major force in golf’s biggest event, took a brief lead with a birdie on the par 5 15th, but then unleashed and rescued a much better 69.
Deccanbeau was three people behind when he finished. Schaeffler finished his stunning performance by playing the final five holes with five under five, six people behind.
The third round was delayed by morning storms, forcing a change in tee time from three tees from both tees that did not begin by noon. And it became a music chair game for leads. The nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point.
One of them was two-time major champion John Rahm. He hasn’t seriously competed in the four majors he’s played since joining Liv Golf.
“It’s hard to express how hungry I am. “I’m so happy to be in this position.”
He finished almost two hours before Schaeffler and thought it would be at least one shot to enter the final round.
“This golf course is tricky and one shot is nothing on 18 holes,” Rahm said.
He is currently facing a five-shot deficit, but he is armed with increased confidence in his game.
Schaeffler, surprisingly, scored his low score in the majors round at his 65. It was the first time in his career that he had a completely low score in major rounds of the field.
That was what started on the 14th at 3 Wood. The up and down for a par 5 birdie on the 15th day gave him the first lead in the championship. Schaeffler was equally pleased with the finish and wanted a proper conclusion for such an important round.
He drilled a hole in an 18-foot birdie putt for one of only six birdies that day on the 17th, each finished it with a closing birdie with a slight show of emotion.
It was the first time he had become under five years of age on a major round five-hole stretch.
“A big emotion for me,” Schaeffler said with a smile. “It was a crucial time in the round. I wanted to finish the round the right way. I hit some good shots on the stretch.”
Masters champion Rory McIlroy and defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele had a long day. It had nothing to do with posting 72 each. They are supposed to tee off at 8:25am and will finish in time for lunch.
With changes to three tees from both tees, they didn’t start until 1:38pm and were on the other side of the Quail Hollow as all the actions were closing stretches.
Davis Riley has been rounding up the game since fighting two-way mistakes at the beginning of the year, making three straight birdies on the 67 scoreable 14th hole and 15th hole, and two more straight birdies.
Rahm was tied to fifth place with Si Woo Kim and Jhonattan Vegas, who took a two-shot lead after 18 holes and 36 holes and got a two-shot lead with two straight bogeys. However, Vegas was still in the mix until he was stabilised himself, running into the water on the 15th for a bogey on the 15th and finishing 73 on the 18th with three putts.
This report uses information from the Associated Press.