There is now a two-way tie on top of the leaderboard at the 106th PGA Championship. The reigning Olympic gold medalist, Xander Schauffele of San Diego, California, is now tied for the lead with two-time major champion Collin Morikawa of Los Angeles, California. Both Schauffele and Morikawa are at -15. Morikawa’s previous major titles came at the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 British Open.
On Saturday, Schauffele shot a three-under-par 68. He had five birdies and one double bogey. Schauffele birdied the seventh, 10th, 14th, 17th, and 18th holes, and double bogeyed the 15th hole.
Meanwhile, Morikawa shot a score of four-under-par 67 in round three. He had five birdies and one bogey. Morikawa birdied the third, fifth, 10th, 15th, and 18th holes, and bogeyed the second hole. In round one, he shot a first round score of five-under-par 66, with seven birdies and two bogeys. Morikawa birdied the sixth, seventh, eighth, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 18th holes, and bogeyed the second and fifth holes. In round two, he shot a second round score of six-under-par 65. Morikawa had seven birdies and one bogey. He birdied the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, 13th, and 18th holes, and bogeyed the ninth hole.
The other big news from round three is the fact that Shane Lowry of Ireland, the 2019 British Open champion, tied the major record for the best score ever in a single round at -9. He posted a score of 62 by registering nine birdies in round three. Lowry birdied the second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, 13th, 14th and 17th holes. The other three golfers to accomplish the feat were Schauffele in the first round of the 2023 United States Open and 2024 PGA Championship, Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, California in the first round of the 2023 United States Open, and Branden Grace of Pretoria, South Africa in the third round of the 2017 British Open.
Lowry is one of six golfers in contention. He is tied for fourth place at -13 with Norway’s Viktor Hovland and American Bryson DeChambeau of Modesto, California, the 2021 United States Open champion. Sahith Theegala of Orange, California is alone in third place at -14. Meanwhile, England’s Justin Rose, the 2013 United States Open champion, and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre are tied for seventh place at -12.
