The PGA Championship was filled with excitement as Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa were tied for the lead, and Shane Lowry thrust his way into the mix with a record-tying 62. Bryson DeChambeau also chipped in for an eagle on the last hole to create a wild celebration. Scottie Scheffler, who had a streak of 42 consecutive rounds at par or better, struggled and finished eight shots back. Many players were in contention, with 23 ahead of him on the leaderboard.
Schauffele faced challenges during his round but managed to finish with a 3-under 68. Morikawa briefly took the lead with a 67 to tie with Schauffele at 15-under 198. There were many other players close behind, including Sahith Theegala, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau, and Viktor Hovland. The competition was tight, with 15 players separated by five shots heading into the final round.
Scheffler, coming off a tumultuous day that included an arrest and a 66 to get back in contention, struggled on the third day with a 73. Despite his efforts to recover, he admitted that he wasn’t feeling like himself during the round. Lowry’s exceptional performance, which included 161 feet of made putts, ended with a 62 that could have been a 61 if not for a missed putt on the final hole. DeChambeau also had an exciting moment with a chip-in eagle.
Justin Rose and Justin Thomas were among the group three shots back, and Thomas had a memorable birdie on the 14th hole after hitting his ball out of the weeds and directly into the cup. With 15 players at 10 under or better, this championship was set to be a thrilling final round. The scoring average for the third round was close to a record, highlighting the low-scoring day.
The focus turned to Schauffele and Morikawa, who were both in position to win the tournament. Schauffele, the Olympic gold medalist, had been leading or tied in six of his last seven rounds. Morikawa, with two majors already at age 24, was poised to make a move to secure his third. The competition was fierce, with many players vying for the coveted Wanamaker Trophy.
As the tournament headed into the final round, the field was wide open with multiple players within striking distance of the lead. The leaderboard was crowded, reminiscent of past PGA Championship events that had exciting finishes. With so many contenders in the mix, the final round promised to be a thrilling conclusion to a record-breaking championship at Valhalla.
