At 7:28 a.m. Friday morning, Scottie Scheffler reportedly felt like he needed a prayer as he sat in a jail cell in Louisville as the minute ticked down to his start time. On Saturday morning, the PGA provided the perfect person to offer his prayers – prayers he desperately needed in his third round.
The world number 1 found himself without his usual bagman for the third round of the PGA Championship. While caddying for another of Scheffler’s big challenges is undoubtedly important, Ted Scott answers when family calls.
Scott left his player’s side to fly home to Louisiana on Saturday for his daughter’s high school graduation. It should have been Scheffler’s biggest major championship upset. That was until Friday’s early morning excursion to a Louisville jail, with the help of a police car, created one of the most amazing moments of the sports year.
Scott’s deputy on Saturday was a man Scheffler, a devout man of faith, would have liked to have by his side as he watched himself through the bars of his cell Friday morning on ESPN. Brad Payne, who replaced Scott, is a good friend of Scheffler. He is also the PGA chaplain.
Scheffler is the most calm and collected character on the PGA Tour. If the events of Friday morning couldn’t turn his game upside down, a simple caddy change certainly wouldn’t. Still, Xander Schauffele and the rest of the field breathed a sigh of relief just four holes into Scheffler’s round.
Scottie Scheffer suffered during his third round at the PGA Championship on Saturday
PGA chaplain Brad Payne served as the world No. 1’s caddy for the third round
Scheffler poses for his mugshot after being charged with second-degree assault on Friday
The implosion began with a double bogey six on the second, which was followed by a trip to the woods with his tee shot on the third. Scheffler had to jump a fence to retrieve his ball for a penalty drop, which resulted in a bogey, and any hopes of an immediate rebound were dashed with another on the fourth.
The Texan prayed for the remainder of his round as five birdies and another three bogeys limited the damage somewhat, leaving him two over for the day and seven under for the tournament, eight behind the leaders.
While his fellow pros know never to let their guard down around Scheffler, Schauffele instead faced another challenger on Saturday.
Schauffele is all too familiar with having victory ripped from his clutches and with Collin Morikawa breathing down his neck, flashbacks to last week’s Wells Fargo Championship collapse rocked him on the 15th.
Morikawa, who started one shot back, jumped to the top of the leaderboard when his birdie putt flew over the entire rim of the cup before falling, while Schauffele’s short-game shortcomings cost him a double bogey.
Scheffler had to jump a fence to retrieve his ball for a penalty drop on the third
Night leader Xander Schauffele carded a three-under 68 for this third round
The American was joined at the top of the leaderboard by playing partner Collin Morikawa (right)
Morikawa had parried his compatriot’s blows attack by attack to stay within one of Schauffele for the entire round and he seized the opportunity to take the new one-shot lead.
It didn’t last long as Schauffele, desperate not to let another big one slip away, clawed his way back as the pair traded birdies over the final two holes to finish in a share of the lead at 15 under, one shot ahead of Sahith Tea Gala. .
But there was a new threat at the top of the leaderboard in the form of Shane Lowry. The Irishman matched Schauffele’s historic 62 from the opening round and powered his way into contention. Viktor Hovland and Bryson DeChambeau tied for fourth at 13 under.
DeChambeau led the rest of the American attack, making a leap from the 18th green for an eagle finish. Meanwhile, hometown hero Justin Thomas gave Louisville something to shout about with a four-under 67 and saw him sneak into the top-10.
