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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 gained the next week on the PGA Tour at Harbour City. The one different Masters champion to win the subsequent week was Gary Player in 1978 on the Event of Champions.
And the final participant to win a serious after which win on the PGA Tour the next week was Tiger Woods in 2006 (PGA Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational).
“I feel after I’m enjoying my greatest, typically it appears like I am competing towards myself slightly bit on the market, making an attempt to maintain pushing and keep as targeted 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 towards the most effective gamers on this planet. I like competing towards these guys, and I am trying ahead to the problem of popping out and competing tomorrow.”
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 last group Sunday, with a special wind and thunderstorms within the forecast.
Two-time main champion Collin Morikawa made one mistake late, developing in need of the sixteenth inexperienced and lacking a 10-foot par putt. He had a 68 and was 2 photographs behind. Masters runner-up Ludvig Åberg was amongst these 3 photographs again.
All of them are chasing the No. 1 participant on this 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 feel all of us anticipate him to play effectively, and there is nothing I can do about it,” Åberg mentioned. “All I attempt to do is give attention to myself and be sure that I hit the photographs the way in which 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 dangerous breaks led to birdies. On the reachable par-4 ninth, his drive stopped in need of 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. Scheffler 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 Åberg, the rising Swedish star who has been a professional for 10 months and already is considered Scheffler’s largest risk as a result of he by no means appears to overlook. However he missed a drive on the twelfth into the timber and made bogey to fall out of a share of the lead, and Åberg needed to accept pars the remainder of the way in which.
The crowds have been significantly giant on the nice and cozy, sunny day, usually lining your entire fairway two- and three-deep to look at 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 might have compelled a playoff. They performed collectively for the primary time since then, and Jaeger held his personal with a 67.
In opposition to Scheffler as of late, that is simply not sufficient.
“I feel I have been very lucky to have performed with numerous high gamers,” mentioned Straka, who performed in his first Ryder Cup final fall in Rome. “I do not suppose anyone has been fairly on the run that Scottie is on proper now.”
Scheffler wasn’t solely ready for this week. Profitable might 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 recreation was in an excellent place, and he was hopeful of getting one other probability. 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 unimaginable. For me to have an opportunity tomorrow, I’ll must play 18 nice holes. And I am trying ahead to the problem.”
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
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