Co-leader Xander Schauffele expects another threat to the lowest round in major golf history in the final round of the PGA Championship (starts 9:45pm Sunday AEST), with an epic shootout possible at rain-softened Valhalla.
Schauffele matched the all-time low major round with a nine-under 62 in Thursday’s first round and Irishman Shane Lowry tied him on Saturday, missing a birdie putt at the par-5 18th for what would have been an unprecedented 61.
FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARD LIVE
Watch every round of the PGA Championship LIVE & Exclusive to Fox Sports, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
“There’s blood in the water,” said Schauffele. “Everyone laughed and then Shane Lowry almost shot 61.
“I imagine someone in that threshold now that it has been done twice is going to shoot something low and post a number early. I imagine that’s going to happen. Just staying in my lane is what’s going to make me play well.”
And those predictions were born out quickly in the final round when Jordan Smith carded a seven-under 64 early in the day, featuring an eagle and six birdies.
Third-ranked Schauffele, seeking his first major triumph, shares the 54-hole lead with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa on 15-under 198.
There are 15 players at 10-under or better, the most in any major after 54 holes, crushing the old mark of seven.
Jordan Spieth, needing a win to complete a career Grand Slam, and Rory McIlroy, whose last major win was a decade ago at Valhalla, are seven shots back and world number one Scottie Scheffler is eight back — just like Lowry was before his Saturday charge.
Scheffler on “stretching in a jail cell” | 02:54
“A lot of guys took it low to climb their way up,” Morikawa said. “I assume tomorrow is going to be the same.”
Reigning Olympic champion Schauffele tried to downplay the importance of a first major crown, which would also end a win drought dating to the 2022 Scottish Open.
“It really is just a result,” he said. “But yeah, it would mean a ton.” Morikawa says fans want to see a major breakthrough by Schauffele more than want to see him take a third major at age 27.
“It’s nice to have people root for you and I feel like people aren’t rooting for me out here,” Morikawa said.
“They like a good story. Xander hasn’t won one, other guys, whatever it may be. But, you know, I could care less.”
Morikawa won the 2021 British Open and 2020 PGA Championship and will use those major wins to help Sunday.
“I’m going to tap in just that mental state I’ve been in, not only those two, but in other tournaments I’ve played well in,” Morikawa said.
“The goal before my tee time is just to be mentally sharp by that first hole. Tomorrow is just going to put everything I have out there and see how it plays out.”
Schauffele says he wants to play from top the leaderboard rather than chase from behind.
“You want the lead,” he said. “Against these guys, you want as many shots as you can possibly take, no matter how nerve-racking it can be.”
Schauffele said his 62 “felt super easy” but since then it has been harder.
“Felt like I’ve had to work for a lot of my birdies the last two days. Haven’t been able to make many putts,” he said. “I’m hitting the ball pretty nice. If I can just get the putter going a little bit, it should free me up.”
Morikawa isn’t worried so much about the start as the finish.
“I’ve made birdies throughout this entire golf course, so it’s not like I have to get all my birdies in through the first six holes,” he said.
“There are going to be guys that take it very low early on and there are a ton of guys that could do a lot tomorrow.
“If I need to press, it’s going to be in the last two to three holes — if I need to.”
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD (End of third round)
T1: Xander Schauffele -15
T1: Collin Morikawa -15
3: Sahith Theegala -14
T4: Shane Lowry -13
T4: Bryson DeChambeau -13
T4: Viktor Hovland -13
AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION
T16: Lucas Herbert -9
T29: Jason Day -6
T38: Cameron Smith -5
T38: Min Woo Lee -5
T108: Adam Scott +3 — cut
T133: Cam Davis +7 — cut
FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES
9:45 p.m. – Jeremy Wells, Alejandro Tosti
9:55 p.m. – Sebastian Söderberg, Brendon Todd
10:05 p.m. – Rasmus Højgaard, Jordan Smith
10:15 p.m. – S.H. Kim, Dustin Johnson
10:25 p.m. – Andrew Putnam, Ryan Fox
10:35 p.m. – Talor Gooch, Stephan Jaeger
10:45 p.m. – Adam Hadwin, Erik van Rooyen
10:55 p.m. – Gary Woodland, Grayson Murray
11:05 p.m. – Patrick Cantlay, Luke Donald
11:15 p.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Jesper Svensson
11:25 p.m. – Joaquin Niemann, Rickie Fowler
11:35 p.m. – Patrick Reed, Cameron Young
11:45 p.m. – Braden Shattuck, Byeong Hun An
12:05 a.m. – Brooks Koepka, Nicolai Højgaard
12:15 a.m. – Adam Svensson, Thorbjørn Olesen
12:25 a.m. – Alexander Björk, Lucas Glover
12:35 a.m. – Tyrrell Hatton, Corey Conners
12:45 a.m. – Brian Harman, Martin Kaymer
12:55 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Min Woo Lee
1:05 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris
1:15 a.m. – Ben Kohles, Cameron Smith
1:25 a.m. – Doug Ghim, Alex Noren
1:35 a.m. – Jason Day, Zac Blair
1:45 a.m. – Maverick McNealy, Billy Horschel
2:05 a.m. – Max Homa, Tom Hoge
2:15 a.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Mark Hubbard
2:25 a.m. – Aaron Rai, Matt Wallace
2:35 a.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Ryo Hisatsune
2:45 a.m. – Rory McIlroy, Tom Kim
2:55 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Russell Henley
3:05 a.m. – Keegan Bradley, Taylor Moore
3:15 a.m. – Thomas Detry, Lucas Herbert
3:25 a.m. – Harris English, Austin Eckroat
3:35 a.m. – Justin Thomas, Tony Finau
3:55 a.m. – Dean Burmester, Lee Hodges
4:05 a.m. – Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre
4:15 a.m. – Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland
4:25 a.m. – Sahith Theegala, Shane Lowry
4:35 a.m. – Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa
Source Agencies
