Scottie Scheffler shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday for a two-shot lead after 54 holes in a long day at the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Scheffler is 13 under par, two shots ahead of Canadian Nick Taylor (third round 67) and Jon Rahm (68) of Spain.
About half the field had to complete their second round Saturday morning after play was called due to darkness Friday night at TPC Scottsdale.
Jordan Spieth (69) and Canada’s Adam Hadwin (71) are tied for fourth at 10-under, while five players are four strokes back in a tie for sixth.
Scheffler began his third round with two birdies on the first four holes, sandwiching a bogey between two more birdies at numbers 14 and 17. In his first title defense, Scheffler is aiming to become the seventh player to successfully defend his golf title. Phoenix Open. and first since Hideki Matsuyama in 2017.
“I haven’t been thinking about it too much,” Scheffler said of the title defense. “I’m in position now. Something I talked about at the beginning of the week was that I felt like I had been on the outside looking in on Sundays. To be in the final group with a two-shot lead, I think, is definitely a position I want to be in. I’m looking forward to tomorrow”.
He is chased by world No. 3 Rahm, who is trying to secure his third win of the season. Rahm opened with a bogey on the first hole, but played fair the rest of the way, adding four birdies.
«Being even at 11 was a challenge. I had to dig deep to make a few putts and hold the round,” Rahm said. “The few birdie putts I had I didn’t really take advantage of. I had many. In that stretch of 2, 3 and 4 I wish I had gotten a couple more than I did.”
Taylor has never cracked the top 40 in eight previous starts at the Phoenix Open, but now he’s looking for win No. 3 on tour.
“I’m going to have to do my thing tomorrow,” Taylor said. “Easier said than done. But if I keep playing like I’ve been doing, I think I’ll have a decent chance down the stretch. But I can’t really pay attention to what they’re doing. If I get involved in that is probably when I would struggle a bit. I’ve been in a position where I’ve been an underdog so I just have to keep my head down and keep playing.”
Spieth birdied three of his last six holes to move into contention. A top 10 finish would mark his 80th on tour.
