Scottie Scheffler Soars to PGA Championship Lead with a Flawless Swing

In a spectacular display, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler delivered a single perfect swing that sent the crowd at Quail Hollow into a frenzy, unsettled Bryson DeChambeau, and positioned him favourably for his third major title at the PGA Championship.

As Scheffler approached the 14th tee, 278 metres from the pin, he wondered if his shot would fall short due to the wind blowing against his preferred fade. However, his strike was nearly flawless, lifting the ball onto the green and landing just under a metre from the hole.

Despite trailing by a shot at the time, his eagle put him in the lead, kicking off a remarkable finish with a 5-under score across the last five holes. He concluded the day with a 6-under 65, establishing a three-shot advantage.

“I executed the shot,” Scheffler stated.

“Did I execute it thinking I hit it 2 feet or whatever it was? There’s definitely a slice of luck involved when you’re hitting from 300 yards. But overall, I got the execution right.”

He continued to display his prowess in the closing stretch, leaving many challengers feeling hopeless against the world’s top player.

Jon Rahm made a commendable effort with three consecutive birdies, while Bryson DeChambeau held the lead briefly before his momentum was halted just as Scheffler was showcasing his brilliance at the 14th.

Approaching the par-3 17th, DeChambeau found the water with his tee shot, and as he prepared for a lengthy bogey putt, cheers erupted from about 60 metres away across the lake as Scheffler’s ball came to rest.

Temporarily distracted, DeChambeau missed his putt and ended up with a double bogey, wrapping up the day six shots behind the leader.

“I struck a fantastic 9-iron just the way I wanted. The wind played its part,” expressed DeChambeau. “The wind switched from neutral on the right to almost straight in. We miscalculated that, especially since on hole 16 we thought it was slightly downwind.”

On the 18th, DeChambeau misjudged the wind again, leaving his approach from the fairway bunker short of the pin, settling for par.

“The wind cost me three shots, and that’s the nature of Quail Hollow,” he lamented.

It was a tough blow for DeChambeau, who had played the first 15 holes remarkably well, shooting 5-under and looking at one of his best rounds in a major.

“That’s why golf can be the worst four-letter word,” he quipped.

Despite the hiccups, DeChambeau refused to change anything about his round. “I can’t complain too much,” he said, having carded a 2-under 69. “You always want more. You can always strive to be a bit greedier out there.”

Scheffler, on the 18th, placed an 8-iron within about 3 metres, pumping his fist in celebration and exclaiming, “F–k yeah, baby!”

“I usually don’t reveal much emotion, but I don’t know how much I showed there. I don’t consciously think about my actions,” Scheffler reflected. “It just felt like I made two excellent shots … and capitalised on the chance.”

“Whatever emotion came out, it felt significant to finish the round on a high note.”

Adam Scott continues to climb the leaderboard steadily, signing for a 2-under 69, placing him on the brink of the top 10 at 4-under, seven shots behind Scheffler.

Scott maintained a tidy game throughout, recording only one bogey and three birdies.

Kiwis Ryan Fox faced a tumultuous third round, mixing five birdies with six bogeys, resulting in a 1-over 72 that saw him lose ground on the leaders. He finds himself among six players at 3-under for the tournament.

Cam Davis is also in this group. After a challenging front nine with three bogeys, he showcased his skill with a stunning performance, going 4-under across the tricky holes 13 to 15, which included a remarkable hole-out from 53 metres on the par-5 15th.