Schauffele, Morikawa lead as PGA championship battle heats up – Golf News

Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa battled it out for the PGA Championship after the third round at Valhalla, while Shane Lowry made a surprise run atop a crowded leaderboard with a bid to add to his 2019 Open victory.

Schauffele, who led after the first two rounds, bogeyed the final two holes en route to a 3-under 68 that left him at 15 under and tied with two-time winner Morikawa.

Saturday’s ‘Moving Day’ more than lives up to its name, with seven players now within four strokes of the leaders, including Sahith Theegala, who made five birdies on the back nine for a 67 and sits alone in third place.

LOWRY’S RECORD-EQUAL WHITE

Lowry, whose 62 equaled the lowest score in major tournament history, Bryson DeChambeau, who birdied the final hole, and the resurgent Viktor Hovland, are just two shots back.

Schauffele opened up by two shots when he holed a 30-foot putt on 14, but quickly gave that advantage back by teeing off at the par-four 15th where his second shot hit a rough lay, resulting in a double-bogey.

Moments later, teammate Morikawa’s birdie putt from five feet on the same hole circled the cup and landed in the middle, giving him one shot. But Schauffele struggled to get a birdie on the short 17th, and Morikawa both birdied the last.

GOING BACK FOR YEARS

Justin Rose, 43, rolled back the years – and moved into contention for a second major – with five birdies on the top nine en route to a 64 that left him three shots behind the leaders and tied for seventh with Ryder Cup teammate Bob MacIntyre, who shot the 66.

Lowry rolled more than 160 putts during his record-tying round, denied a magical 61 when his 11-foot birdie attempt on the par-five came to rest an inch to the left of the cup.

“That’s probably the biggest disappointment for anyone who can shoot 62,” Lowry said. “I knew what was at stake. I didn’t hit the ball enough. I read it well and it just burst out of the hole at the end.”

On such a low-scoring day, 68-year-old Rory McIlroy, who promised to be his best on four holes at the turn, leaves the four-time major champion with a lot to do to add a fifth on Sunday, and Scottie. Scheffler, no doubt reeling from the shock of Friday’s events, dropped to a 73 to leave him eight shots behind.