In Charlotte, North Carolina, as the golf ball soared through the air, Scottie Scheffler`s movement paused. He watched his impressive tee shot land perfectly near the 14th green, rolling onto the putting surface like a simple putt. From an astonishing 304 yards out, Scheffler placed the ball just under three feet from the hole. The subsequent eagle putt was a mere formality, elevating him to a share of the lead at 8-under par. More significantly, it served as a clear message across Quail Hollow Country Club, reinforcing a widely accepted truth in professional golf over the past couple of years: Scottie Scheffler`s dominance is almost a certainty.
For the first two days of the PGA Championship, the leaderboard featured a surprising mix of names. However, when Scheffler made eagle on the 14th hole Saturday, followed by birdies on the 15th, 17th, and 18th, reaching 11-under and securing a three-shot lead after 54 holes, it felt like golf`s natural order was restored. Even this major championship, which had been unpredictable for over 36 holes, eventually settled with the sport`s top player at the forefront.
Scheffler commented on his approach, saying, “I try to concentrate as much as possible on executing the shot. There are things out there you can`t influence. I can`t control what other players are doing. I can`t control unexpected wind gusts. I can`t control how the ball will react after hitting the green. My focus is solely on hitting the shot I intend to hit. Some days that works out better than others.”
As Scheffler climbed to the lead, his seemingly inevitable ascent was underscored by other contenders faltering. Quail Hollow`s challenging “Green Mile” stretch proved costly, leading to Jon Rahm dropping a shot on the 17th and Bryson DeChambeau suffering a double bogey on the same hole.
After completing his round, DeChambeau stated, “I`m three strokes behind with one round left in a major championship. So, I don`t have much to complain about.”
Two-time major winner Rahm, after reaching 6-under on Saturday, said, “I expect I`ll be at least one shot back going into tomorrow. But that`s a solid position.”
The challenge for them was that the world`s number one player still had holes left to play, and Scheffler navigated the Green Mile impressively, finishing it at 2-under par. Heading into Sunday, Rahm will start five shots behind Scheffler, while DeChambeau needs to overcome a six-shot deficit.
Three players are positioned closer to Scheffler entering the final round than Rahm. Alex Noren, at 42 and recovering from a hamstring injury, is three shots back and paired with Scheffler. Noren tied for 51st in his previous tournament. Davis Riley and J.T. Poston are both at 7-under. Riley has had two top-10 finishes this season but also five missed cuts, and more missed cuts than made cuts in majors throughout his career. Poston`s best major finish has never been better than 30th.
Essentially, Scheffler isn`t being immediately pursued by the strongest players in the world. This is why, despite their larger deficits, Rahm and DeChambeau arguably pose the most significant threats to Scheffler, as both are seeking their third major title.
For Rahm, this week marks the first time since joining LIV Golf that he has genuinely contended in a major with a real chance to add to his win count. Winning the PGA Championship would not only give him three majors but would also mean he arrives at The Open Championship in Northern Ireland with an opportunity to achieve a career Grand Slam, a feat recently accomplished by Rory McIlroy.
A smiling Rahm expressed his desire, saying, “It`s difficult to articulate how hungry I am for a major. Probably as hungry as anyone could be in this situation. Very pleased to be in contention again.”
Rahm has been consistent this week, leading the field in strokes gained off the tee and ranking 20th in approach play. However, he has struggled somewhat around the greens, losing nearly a full stroke. Despite this, it`s one of his most complete major performances since his 2023 Masters victory, though it might still lack the firepower needed to catch Scheffler.
DeChambeau`s third round stalled what could have been another Sunday major pursuit where he was only a shot or two behind the leader. This course seems well-suited to DeChambeau`s game, especially with his strong driving performance. Yet, similar to his experience at Augusta, his approach play (ranking 54th this week) might again prevent him from claiming a third major championship.
DeChambeau commented, “All I can control is what is within my power, and my focus is on going out there and shooting 6 or 7 under.” He added a note of caution, “Not that that guarantees anything, but you never know.”
Leading up to the event at Quail Hollow, much attention was rightly on McIlroy, following his significant Masters victory that completed his long-awaited Grand Slam. However, Scheffler, fresh off an eight-shot win in his last start, remained a co-favorite and is still considered the true benchmark in the sport.
Over the first two rounds, Scheffler posted rounds of 69 and 68. These scores didn`t feel particularly spectacular because his ability to shoot under par without his absolute best game has become routine. The standard he has set is so high that the only surprise would be if he *didn`t* finish inside the top 10. Even that isn`t enough; despite six top-10s this season before winning the Byron Nelson, there were questions about his form. While Scheffler has shown some on-course frustration, he consistently emphasizes patience.
“Golf isn`t really a sport where you can force outcomes. In sports like football or basketball, you can push harder through adrenaline or physical effort,” Scheffler explained. “Golf, I feel, requires you to let the scores develop naturally. You have to be significantly more patient in this sport than others, especially over a 72-hole competition.”
This week, Scheffler has performed like the world`s top player, ranking in the top 10 for strokes gained off the tee, on approach, and around the green. Crucially, his putting has been more than adequate (36th in the field), and his impressive mental fortitude, allowing him to recover from mistakes, appears to be in peak condition. This combination is precisely what has led him to two green jackets.
Scheffler stated, “My goal is to perform at my best and challenge the golf course. Ultimately, that`s my focus. If I start thinking about what someone else is doing out there, that won`t be beneficial for me.”
On Sunday, Scheffler has the luxury of focusing solely on his own game. While his pursuers may claim to only focus on what they can control, deep down they understand this truth: For any chance of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy, they will need the sport`s most reliable force to stumble.
Marcus Blakely