Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa share the PGA Championship lead after the third round at Valhalla, while Shane Lowry made a stunning charge up a packed leaderboard in a bold bid to add to his 2019 Open success.
Schauffele, who held the lead after the first two rounds, birdied the final two holes en route to a three-under 68 that left him at 15 under and level with two-time winner Morikawa.
Saturday’s ‘Moving Day’ more than lived up 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 in solo third.
LOWRY’S RECORD-EQUALLING ROUND
Lowry, whose 62 matched the lowest score in major championship history, Bryson DeChambeau, who eagled the final hole, and the resurgent Viktor Hovland, are just two shots off the lead.
Schauffele had opened a two-shot when draining a 30-foot putt at the 14th, but immediately gave that advantage back with getting out of position at the par-four 15th where his second shot found the rough, leading to a double-bogey.
Moments later, playing partner Morikawa’s birdie putt from five feet at the same hole circled around the cup then dropped in, giving him a one-shot lead. But Schauffele battled back with a tap-in for birdie at the short par-four 17th, and then he Morikawa both birdied the last.
Close, but no cigar: Shane Lowry reacts after missing an 11-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole which would have given him a record-breaking 61 (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
ROLLING BACK THE YEARS
Justin Rose, 43, rolled back the years – and moved into contention for a second major victory – with five front-nine birdies en route to a 64 that left him just three shots behind leaders and sharing seventh place with Ryder Cup partner Bob MacIntyre, who fired a 66.
Lowry holed over 160 feet of putts during his record-equalling round, was only denied a magical 61 when his 11-foot birdie attempt on the par-five came to rest an inch left of the cup.
“That’s probably the most disappointed anyone can ever be shooting 62,” said Lowry. “I knew what was at stake. I just didn’t hit the ball hard enough. Had it on a good read and it just broke away from the hole at the very end.”
On a day of such low scoring, Rory McIlroy’s 68, which promised to be so much better when he birdied four holes around the turn, leaves the four-time major champion surely with too much to do to add a fifth on Sunday, while Scottie Scheffler, no doubt suffering delayed shock from Friday’s events, slumped to a 73 that leaves him eight shots adrift.
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