Scottie Scheffler storms into a 3-shot lead in the PGA Championship with another major in sight

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — One swing was all Scottie Scheffler needed to send Quail Hollow into delirium Saturday, to briefly rattle Bryson DeChambeau, and to give this PGA Championship the star power it had been lacking.

Scheffler stood on the 14th tee, 304 yards from the hole, thinking it might come up a little short with the wind gusting right-to-left against his preferred fade. It was nearly perfect, the ball climbing onto the green and settling just inside 3 feet away.

The eagle put him atop the leaderboard for good and started a closing stretch that was nothing short of a clinic, 5 under over the last five holes. It sent him to a 6-under 65 and a three-shot lead as Scheffler closed in on a third major championship.

“I executed the shot,” Scheffler said. “Did I execute it thinking I hit it 2 feet or whatever it was? I mean, there's a little bit of luck involved in that when you're at 300 yards. But overall, I executed how I wanted to.”

He did that a lot in the final hour and left so many contenders feeling helpless against the No. 1 player in the world.

Jon Rahm made a run with three straight birdies. Bryson DeChambeau briefly had the lead until his tee shot on the par-3 17th found the water. He was trying to salvage a bogey putt from 25 feet away when the loudest cheer from across the lake by the 14th green made him back off.

Scheffler, of course.

The world's No. 1 player turned a three-shot deficit into a three-shot lead over Alex Noren (66), who only last week returned from seven month away with a hamstring injury and now gets his first opportunity to play in the final group of a major.

Rahm was among those five shots behind. DeChambeau was six back. They thought they would be closer until Scheffler wasn't satisfied with taking the lead. He wanted a proper finish, and delivered it with two birdies, each packed with a little more emotion.

It ended with an 8-iron from the seam of a divot to just inside 10 feet for birdie on the 18th, and Scheffler pumped his fist accompanied by, “(Expletive) yeah, baby!”

“I typically don’t show much emotion. I don’t know how much I showed there. I don’t really think about what I’m doing,” Scheffler said. "I just felt like I hit two really good shots in there ... and was able to just take advantage of the opportunity.

“Wherever the emotion came from, felt like an important part of the round to finish off the round the right way.”

DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion who has been a major force at golf's biggest events, briefly took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 15th. And then it all came undone.

He missed a 4-foot par putt on the 16th. He was stunned to see his ball find the water on the 17th that led to double bogey. He had to scramble for par on the 18th and a 69.

DeChambeau was three behind when he finished, six behind when Scheffler got done with his masterful performance.

“I’m behind the 8-ball now. I’ve got to get my guns a-blazing tomorrow,” he said.

The third round was delayed by morning storms, forcing a change in tee times to threesomes off both tees that didn't start until shortly before noon. And then it became a game of musical chairs for the lead. Nine players had at least a share of the lead at one point.

One of them was Rahm, the two-time major champion and former No. 1 who has not seriously contended in the four majors he has played since joining LIV Golf.

“Hard to express how hungry I may be for a major, about as hungry as anybody can be in this situation,” Rahm said. “Very happy to be in this position.”

He finished nearly two hours before Scheffler and figured he would be at least one shot behind going into the final round. “This golf course is tricky and one shot is nothing on 18 holes,” Rahm said. He now faces a five-shot deficit, but armed with growing confidence in his game.

Scheffler, remarkably, for the first time posted the low score of any round in a major with his 65, which moved him to 11-under 202.

The 3-wood on the 14th was what got it started. The up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 15th gave him the lead for the first time in the championship. His best shot was his only par in that stretch, a 7-iron off a slight hill to a back pin with a nasty wind direction.

He missed a 12-foot birdie putt. But Scheffler then made an 18-foot birdie putt for one of only six birdies on the day at the 17th, and then finished it with his seventh birdie of the day.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy and defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele had a long day, nothing to do with each posting a 72. They were supposed to tee off at 8:25 a.m. and likely would be finished in time for lunch.

With the change to threesomes of both tees, they didn't start until 1:38 p.m. and were on the other side of Quail Hollow as all the action was on the closing stretch.

Davis Riley, whose game has been rounding into form since he battled a two-way miss at the start of the year, made three straight birdies around the turn and two more on the scorable 14th and 15th holes for a 67. He was at 7—under 206 along with North Carolina native J.T. Poston, who birdied his last hole for a 68.

Rahm was tied for fifth with Si Woo Kim and Jhonattan Vegas, who had two-shot leads after 18 holes and 36 holes and began Saturday with two straight bogeys. But he steadied himself and was still in the mix until driving into the water on the 15th for bogey and finishing out his 73 with a three-putt going on the 18th.

DeChambeau played in the final group at the Masters with McIlroy, and he played bogey-free through 15 holes until a finish that did more damage than he realized.

“It cost me three shots and that's what happens here at Quail Hollow,” he said.

It left DeChambeau, Rahm and everyone else in a tough spot trying to make up ground on Scheffler, whose last tournament was an eight-shot victory in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Bryson DeChambeau reacts after hitting his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jon Rahm, of Spain, waves after making a putt on the first hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Bryson DeChambeau waves on the 18th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Alex Noren, of Sweden, hits from the fairway on the 18th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the 15th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Scottie Scheffler smiles on the seventh hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler reacts after missing a putt on the 10th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)