After the shifting stops at the PGA, no surprise Scheffler leads

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A wild third round of the PGA Championship that included everything from a morning thunderstorm that delayed play to a United Nations selection of different leaders Saturday, came to a quite predictable ending.

When the rain and the shuffling had stopped at Quail Hollow Club, the man who was number one, not surprisingly, is also the one who is number one in the world, Scottie Scheffler.

After the guys had their moments at the top of the leader board—whether alone or tied— including Jhonattan Vegas, Bryson DeChambeau, Alex Noren, John Rahm, and Si Woo Kim, it was Scheffler all alone in first place, by three shots. 

His third round score of 6-under par 65 gave him a total of 202, 11-under par. And assuming he stays on track—yes, you should assume nothing in golf, but this guy is great—he will add another major to his two Masters victories.

Second at 66-205 is Noren, the Swede who went to Oklahoma State, while tied for third at 206 are Davis Riley and J.T. Poston.

Vegas, of Venezuela, who was in front after the first and second rounds, shot a 2-over 73, and slipped into a three-way tie for fifth at 207 with Kim and Rahm. 

The final three holes on Quail are known as the Green Mile, although they total a bit less than that distance. Scheffler fell victim in that stretch with a double bogey on 16 on Thursday, but he more than made up for that Saturday. He had a couple of bogeys, including the 13th hole. Then he responded with a wonderful 3-wood from the 14th tee that carried some 300 yards. He made the putt for an eagle 2.

“I came out with a nice low spinning draw and hit it really solid and was fortunate to get up there on the green,” Scheffler said. “From that distance, yes, I executed the shot. There’s a little bit of luck involved.”

He followed that immediately with a birdie three at 15.

When asked how big the two bounce-backs were after the bogeys on the back nine to keep the momentum going, Scheffler said, “They are really important. I mean, especially after the bogey on 13 to respond the way I did on 14, it’s a really hard shot.”

Spectators and golf writers are obsessed with what happens on the scoreboard. The pros often contend they do not pay attention. 

So when Scheffler was asked whether he knew about the constant shifting of lead, he said, not unexpectedly, “I was trying to post the best score that I could shoot today, and that’s what I was concerned with out there.”

The start of play Saturday was delayed some four and one-half hours by the weather. That might have made some golfers impatient and upset. But Scheffler just went about his usual routine.

As champions always do.