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 in Charlotte, N.C.
Scheffler started his big run with a 3-wood to just inside three 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 four-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
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