HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was relentless as ever Saturday with one other bogey-free spherical on the RBC Heritage, an 8-under 63 that gave him a 1-shot lead and left him one spherical from becoming a member of some uncommon firm.
Not since Bernhard Langer in 1985 has a Masters champion received the next week on the PGA Tour at Harbour City. The one different Masters champion to win the subsequent week was Gary Participant in 1978 on the Match of Champions.
And the final participant to win a significant after which win on the PGA Tour the next week was Tiger Woods in 2006 (PGA Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational).
“I believe after I’m enjoying my greatest, typically it seems like I am competing in opposition to myself a little bit bit on the market, attempting to maintain pushing and keep as centered as I can,” mentioned Scheffler, who has transformed every of his previous three outright 54-hole leads on tour.
“On the finish of the day, we’re out right here competing in opposition to the very best gamers on the planet. I like competing in opposition to these guys, and I am trying ahead to the problem of popping out and competing tomorrow.”
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Scheffler was at 16-under 197. Sepp Straka made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final gap for a 65 to get inside 1 shot. They are going to be within the remaining group Sunday, with a unique wind and thunderstorms within the forecast.
Two-time main champion Collin Morikawa made one mistake late, developing wanting the sixteenth inexperienced and lacking a 10-foot par putt. He had a 68 and was 2 photographs behind. Masters runner-up Ludvig Ã…berg was amongst these 3 photographs again.
All of them are chasing the No. 1 participant on the planet amid a dominant stretch of golf not seen since Woods in his prime.
Scheffler has gone 51 consecutive holes at par or higher at Harbour City. He posted his thirty ninth consecutive spherical at par or higher relationship to the Tour Championship final August.
“I believe all of us count on him to play nicely, and there is nothing I can do about it,” Ã…berg mentioned. “All I attempt to do is concentrate on myself and ensure that I hit the photographs the best way I wish to after which see the place that takes me.”
Scheffler began 3 photographs behind and already was tied for the lead with a tee shot to a pin on the again proper nook of the 221-yard seventh gap, changing a 10-foot birdie.
Even the unhealthy breaks led to birdies. On the reachable par-4 ninth, his drive stopped wanting the bunker on a down slope of grass, leaving him a flop shot to a brief pin with the inexperienced operating away from him. All he may handle was a pitch to 35 ft. He rammed residence the birdie putt and by no means actually stopped till ending with a 7-foot birdie on the 18th.
For a second, it was establishing as a duel with Ã…berg, the Swedish stud who has been a professional for 10 months and already is thought to be Scheffler’s greatest risk as a result of he by no means appears to overlook. However he missed a drive on the twelfth into the bushes and made bogey to fall out of a share of the lead, and Ã…berg needed to accept pars the remainder of the best way.
The crowds have been notably massive within the heat sunshine, usually lining your entire fairway two- and three-deep to observe golf’s latest sensation. Scheffler has three wins and a runner-up end in his previous 4 tournaments.
The one participant to beat him was Stephan Jaeger by 1 shot within the Houston Open — Scheffler missed a 5-foot putt that may have compelled a playoff. They performed collectively for the primary time since then and Jaeger held his personal with a 67.
Towards Scheffler lately, that is simply not sufficient.
“I believe I have been very lucky to have performed with a whole lot of prime gamers,” mentioned Straka, who performed in his first Ryder Cup final fall in Rome. “I do not assume anyone has been fairly on the run that Scottie is on proper now.”
Scheffler wasn’t completely ready for this week. Successful will be draining, much more when it entails a Masters inexperienced jacket. He flew residence to Dallas on Sunday night time, spent two days together with his pregnant spouse, managed 9 holes of a pro-am at Harbour City and right here he’s once more.
Patrick Rodgers is the one participant inside 5 photographs of Scheffler who has but to win on the PGA Tour. The previous Stanford star has felt his sport was in a very good place and he was hopeful of getting one other likelihood. After which he noticed Scheffler’s title beginning to rise on the scoreboards as he was beginning his spherical. Rodgers hung in there with a 68.
“It feels inevitable at this level,” Rodgers mentioned. “His ballstriking is unbelievable. For me to have an opportunity tomorrow, I’ll should play 18 nice holes. And I am trying ahead to the problem.”
Info from The Related Press was used on this report.
