Recapping Round Three of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where Scottie Scheffler's blistering 65, featuring back-to-back eagles, catapulted him to a three-shot lead heading into a compelling final round.
SCHEFFLER'S SATURDAY CHARGE
- Lead bullet – Scottie Scheffler fired a "blistering sixty five," including back-to-back eagles, to seize a three-shot lead at eleven under, masterfully handling Quail Hollow's "really tough" and "gusty" conditions.
- Secondary bullet – He credited a "good little swing thought" from coach Randy Smith about his hips ("Randy saw yesterday was maybe my hips weren't moving the way he wanted to") and was seen grinding on the range post-round.
- Tertiary bullet – Despite his dominance, Scheffler admitted, "Sorry, I'm just nervous," but remained focused on "more good golf" for Sunday, showcasing his relentless pursuit even after an early bogey where he felt he "hit two pretty good shots."
THE CHASERS IN PURSUIT
- Lead bullet – Alex Noren's strong sixty six propelled him to solo second at eight under, anticipating "probably a little bit firmer greens" and confident he knows "what you have to do out here."
- Secondary bullet – Jon Rahm is a major factor at six under after a superb sixty seven, declaring he's "as hungry as anybody can be," happy with his game, and even got an "assist from Viktor Hovland on the read."
- Tertiary bullet – Davis Riley (sixty seven) and J.T. Poston (sixty eight) are tied for third at seven under, with Poston recalling a previous day's par save as "big for momentum" because "That felt like it was better than a three."
NOTABLE ROUNDS & WEEKEND WOES
- Lead bullet – Bryson DeChambeau carded a sixty nine, "Firing up the crowd" with a fist pump on seventeen, while Rory McIlroy's struggles (seventy two, two over) continued, with analysts citing an emotional "hangover."
- Secondary bullet – Paul McGinley suggested McIlroy's recent win meant "This tournament has probably just come a little too early to reset," while Brandel Chamblee called his driving "perhaps the worst I've ever seen him."
- Tertiary bullet – Conversely, former leader Jhonattan Vegas (seventy three), Matt Fitzpatrick (seventy two), and particularly Max Homa, with a "brutal" seventy six, plummeted down the leaderboard as Quail Hollow firmed up.
BEYOND THE CUTLINE: QUAIL HOLLOW'S TOLL
- Lead bullet – We touched on big names who missed the cut, including Dustin Johnson's poor major form, Brooks Koepka's heckler exchange, and Phil Mickelson's first PGA Championship quadruple bogey.
- Secondary bullet – These stories underscored the challenging nature of Quail Hollow, with questions like "What has gone wrong for the Liv Golf star?" for DJ, and Koepka retorting, "You want to come down here and say it?"
- Tertiary bullet – Frank Nobilo also praised Bryson DeChambeau's pitching wedge on thirteen as "sensational," a bright spot amidst the widespread difficulty on the course.
Quick Hits
A • Scheffler's hip fix from Randy Smith • Rahm's "Five wood draw" confirmation • Rory's orange shirt speculation & media silence
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