Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler is doing his thing on the weekend again.
The 27-year-old Scheffler, who has won his last two events, shot four-under-par 66 and is tied for the lead with four other players heading to the final round of the 76th Shriners Children’s Open at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
Scheffler is trying to become the first golfer to win three straight starts on the PGA Tour since Dustin Johnson in 2017.
“Winning the last two doesn’t help me do anything tomorrow,” said Scheffler, who is coming off victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. “I think it’s going to be another pretty challenging day out there with high winds. I want to stick to my process and control what I can control out there.
“I feel like I did a lot of stuff really well out there today. I feel like I played better than my score. I had a few shots I didn’t really get rewarded for and was somewhat punished for some pretty good shots. Overall, it was nice to finish with those two birdies. I hit a really good shot into No. 16, a good shot into No. 17. Yeah, I felt like I did a lot of things well today.”
Scheffler, who has won eight times on the PGA Tour is the last three years, including the 2022 Masters, overcame two bogeys and a double-bogey 6 on the 15th hole with the last of his eight birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, posted a 54-hole score of nine-under-par 201.
Equaling that score were David Skinns of England, who, posted a bogey-free 65; Stephan Jaeger of Germany, who made three straight birdies on the front nine en route to a 66; Thomas Detry of Belgium, who had three birdies on the front nine in a 67; and Alejandro Tosti of Argentina, who collected five birdies in a 68.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to be in this spot,” said the 42-year-old Skinns, who has won 10 times as a professional, but not on the PGA Tour. “That’s why we play. We want to feel those juices and be there on Sunday. That’s why we put in all those hours when nobody is watching, and I’ve put in a lot of hours.
“I’m pleased that I will get to see what it’s like on a Sunday. “This is what I do for a living and I’ve done it for a long time. I’ve gotten gradually better at it and hopefully I can get a little better. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”
Taylor Moore, who was tied for the lead after a first-round 64, made four of his six birdies on the front nine in a 67 and is one stroke back in a tie for sixth with Nick Dunlap, who posted a bogey-free 63, and Akshay Bhatia of Northridge, who sank a three-foot eagle putt on the third hole in a 67.
Defending champion Tony Finau, who led by two shots after a second-round 62, struggled to a 72 and is two down in a tie for ninth with Aaron Rai of England, who made three straight birdies on the back nine in a 67, Max Greyserman, who had three late birdies in another 67, and Chad Ramey, who stumbled to three late bogeys in a 68.
Peter Malnati, who won the Valspar Championship last week, is tied for 34th after a 67, while first-round co-leader Wilson Furr finished at 70 and is tied for 48th, and fourth-ranked Wyndham Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion, made a double-bogey 7 on the 17th hole in a 72 and is tied for 56th.
For complete results and final-round tee times, visit: https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard
