World No. 1 Fires Brilliant 65 to Seize Control at PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a weather-delayed start to Saturday’s third round, Scottie Scheffler reminded everyone why he’s ranked No. 1 in the world with a masterful 6-under 65 that has him on the brink of a third major championship.

The Texan now holds a three-shot lead over Alex Noren heading into Sunday’s final round at Quail Hollow, where he’ll look to add the PGA Championship to his collection after recording his third consecutive round in the 60s.

The Green Mile Becomes Scheffler’s Playground

Perhaps most impressive was how Scheffler handled Quail Hollow’s infamous closing stretch. The par-4 16th, par-3 17th, and par-4 18th – known collectively as the “Green Mile” for their reputation as tournament killers – became Scheffler’s playground on Saturday. He played them in 2-under par, making pars at 16, birdie at 17, and closing with another birdie at 18.

“I just battled out there today,” Scheffler said afterward. “The wind was really gusty. The greens were firming up. It was an important time in the round. I wanted to end the round the right way. Nice to be able to take advantage of good shots.”

That closing stretch was the difference in what had been a relatively quiet day for Scheffler until the back nine, where he found three birdies and an eagle over his final five holes.

Weekend Warriors Emerge

Alex Noren will partner Scheffler in Sunday’s final group after firing a 4-under 66 to reach 8-under par. The Swede’s position marks his best 54-hole standing in a major championship – his previous best was T5 at The Open Championship 17 years ago. Remarkably, Noren had played just one tournament in the previous six months due to various injuries.

J.T. Poston and Davis Riley sit one shot further back at 7-under after solid third rounds. Poston capped his day with a 32-foot birdie putt on 18, while Riley quietly positioned himself in the final pairing.

Jon Rahm, Si Woo Kim, and overnight leader Jhonattan Vegas are tied at 6-under, five shots behind Scheffler.

Historical Context

The numbers suggest Sunday might be a formality. Scheffler has converted his last seven solo 54-hole leads on the PGA Tour, including major championships at the 2022 and 2024 Masters. His dominance when holding weekend leads has become almost automatic.

Even more telling, only four players remain within four shots of the lead after Saturday’s action – a dramatic reduction from the 33 players who were within four shots earlier in the day.

Others Fall by the Wayside

Defending champion Xander Schauffele’s bid for back-to-back titles effectively ended with a 1-over 72, leaving him at 2-over for the tournament. Rory McIlroy’s dreams of a single-season Grand Slam also appear over after another 1-over 72 left him more than 10 shots behind.

The overnight leader Vegas struggled with a 2-over 73, including bogeys on two of his final four holes, while former contenders Matthew Fitzpatrick and Matthieu Pavon both shot 72 to fall further back.

With conditions expected to remain challenging on Sunday, Scheffler appears poised to claim his first PGA Championship and third major overall. As one observer noted, “barring disaster, he’ll be holding that trophy in 24 hours’ time.”