Schauffele, Morikawa share PGA Championship lead

Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa led the PGA Championship after the third round on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky, while Shane Lowry surged up a crowded leaderboard and Scottie Scheffler fell behind.

Schauffele, who led after two rounds, birdied the final two holes at Valhalla Golf Club for a three-under-par 68, bringing him to 15 under for the week and level with twice major winner Morikawa (67).

"I need to really just stay in my lane and do a lot of what I've been doing and just worry about myself," Olympic champion Schauffele, who is chasing his first major, said of his strategy for Sunday's final round.

Seven players are within four strokes of the leaders, including Sahith Theegala (67), who shot five back-nine birdies and is alone in third place.

Former British Open winner Lowry, whose 62 matched the lowest score in major championship history, LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau (67), who eagled the final hole, and Viktor Hovland (66) were two shots behind the leader.

Schauffele was fresh off draining a 29-foot birdie putt at the 14th to open a two-shot lead before running into trouble at the par-four 15th, where his second shot found the long rough, resulting in a double-bogey.

Moments later, playing partner Morikawa's birdie putt from five feet at the same hole circled the cup before dropping in, giving him a one-shot lead.

"Felt like I made a couple putts, hit a couple good shots, got away with a few, still left a few out there," said Morikawa. "A balance of everything."

But Schauffele refused to give up and went on to tap in for birdie at the par-four 17th, where his brilliant approach shot from 141 yards landed two feet from the cup. He and Morikawa both made birdie on the last hole.

Englishman Justin Rose, who has five consecutive top-15 finishes at the PGA Championship, moved into contention with five front-nine birdies en route to a 64, leaving him three shots behind the leaders and tied for seventh with Robert MacIntyre (66).

SportsLigue