Scheffler takes charge as PGA resumes after rain
Darren Walton and Ian Chadband |
Australians Adam Scott and Cam Davis have set themselves up for top-10 finishes as world No.1 Scottie Scheffler made an ominous charge on a weather-delayed ‘moving day’ at the PGA Championship in North Carolina.
Still only in third gear, top-ranked Scheffler charged into the clubhouse lead with a third-round 65 at Quail Hollow as Scott and Davis also surged to give themselves a fighting chance on championship Sunday.
Chasing a third career major, Scheffler moved to 11 under for the tournament after offsetting three bogeys with seven birdies and an eagle on the short par-4 14th hole.
Contesting his 25th PGA Championship, Scott will enter the final round seven shots behind Scheffler after carding a steady two-under 69.
Davis is another stroke back after igniting his round of 70 with a hole-out eagle three after two successive birdies on his homeward nine.
It was a long day for everyone.
Halfway leader Jhonattan Vegas eventually set off for his penultimate round after a near three-and-a-half hour weather delay on Saturday, which forced organisers to send players out in groups of three from split tees.
Moments before the first tee shot had been scheduled to be hit, the horn sounded, forcing players off the course for the lengthy stoppage and prompting the rethink by officials, who sent competitors off from the first and 10th tees instead of everyone starting at the par-4 first in pairs.
But once play began shortly before midday, the heavyweight LIV Golf duo of Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm both made quick starts to inch up the leaderboard, with 40-year-old Venezuelan Vegas, who had set off two shots clear, toppled from the lead in the early stages.
Late in the day, though, Swede Alex Noren was Scheffler’s closest pursuer, three back of the world No.1 following a third-round 66 featuring four birdies in his last five holes.
Americans Davis Riley (67) and JT Poston (68) were also safely in the clubhouse at seven under and four behind.
Rahm (67) was six under, with DeChambeau (69) five under.
With agencies
AAP
