Scheffler Builds 4-Shot Lead at Memorial Despite Triple Bogey
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Scottie Scheffler, the world’s number one player, started the third round with a three-shot lead at the Memorial, breaking par on a difficult day at Muirfield Village with a 71, one under par, and extended his lead to four shots. Despite seeming to have everything under control, he fell into a bunker and a creek. His tee shot on the ninth hole hit a tree and flew over the fence. He finished the day with a bogey on the 18th hole. The only thing that sounded normal was Scheffler moving closer to another victory on the PGA Tour. At 10-under, he has the largest lead of his career after 54 holes, followed by Collin Morikawa (68) and Canada’s Adam Hadwin (72). Scheffler said he was satisfied. «I just had a couple of bad breaks, because the course is really challenging, but yeah. I feel like I played solid today.»
Scheffler responded with a birdie after his two penalty shots and never relinquished the lead, even after the triple bogey. Morikawa will be in the final group with Scheffler, just as he was at the Masters. He has been a champion at Muirfield Village, where he won the Workday Charity Open in 2020. Scheffler started with a three-shot lead, made two quick birdies, and was already starting to pull away until his second shot on the par-5 fifth hole veered into a bunker. He made a birdie on the next hole. The real trouble came on the ninth hole when his tee shot hit a tree so hard it bounced over a fence and out of bounds. That left him tied with Hadwin, but he then made a birdie, and his lead was back to five shots with a birdie on the par-5 15th hole. Hadwin faltered with a bogey on the 18th hole. Defending champion Viktor Hovland went long on the 12th hole for bogey, short on the 13th for bogey, and long on the 14th for bogey. He shot 42 on the final nine and placed nine shots off the lead. Rory McIlroy carded a 73, eight shots behind the leader. Scheffler has won the last four times he has held the 54-hole lead. «I’m going to go out tomorrow and try to have a good round, keep my head down, and stay in my own little world,» Scheffler said.