Not many people seemed to expect Scottie Scheffler to be here this week, not after hearing throughout The Masters last week about the baby on the way, and certainly not after the world’s undisputed best golfer secured a second green jacket.
But Scheffler committed to play, and he believed he could ride his current heater to one more win before he heads back to Texas and shifts into dad mode.
He’s 18 holes away from leaving Harbour Town with another fancy jacket and another big paycheck.
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Scheffler received a champion’s welcome — perhaps a day early — at the 18th green Saturday, and earned an equally raucous send-off by sinking a 7-foot birdie putt to finish off a scorching 8-under-par 63 and take a one-shot lead into the final round of the 56th RBC Heritage presented by Boeing. Sepp Straka sits a shot back after a 4-under 67, with Collin Morikawa in third at 14 under.
Starting the day three shots back of a quartet of leaders who are now scattered throughout the top 10, Scheffler vaulted himself into the thick of it with five birdies on the front nine, reaching the green in two shots at both par-5s for two-putt birdies and dialing it in close for birdies at the par-3 4th and 7th, then draining a 36-footer at No. 9 after catching a tough lie in the greenside bunker. Another dart at the par-4 11th took it a shot deeper, and he rolled a chip within nine inches for a kick-in birdie at the par-5 15th before adding the punctuation at 18.
And Plaid Nation loved every minute of it.
“On No. 1, the grandstand behind was packed when I was on the tee box, and then by the time we got to the green, I turned around and it was almost empty,” Scheffler said. “It felt to me like the crowd was coming with me today, and there was definitely a lot of cheers out there, and it’s nice to have their support. I’ve always enjoyed playing in front of a crowd. It may not look like I’m paying much attention to them out there, but I can feel their energy, and it’s great to have the support.”
RBC HERITAGE
Round 3 Leaders
1. Scottie Scheffler -16
2. Sepp Straka -15
3. Collin Morikawa -14
T4. Ludvig Åberg -13
Patrick Rodgers -13
Sahith Theegala -13
T7. Patrick Cantlay -12
Seamus Power -12
Tom Hoge -12
J.T. Poston -12
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The rest of the field will need all the support it can get if Scheffler keeps doing what he has been doing … well, all season. The former Texas Longhorn has won three of his last starts with a tie for second in the other event and has placed outside the top 10 only once in 19 starts this season. He tied for 17th.
Scheffler gave the field a nice head start this week, following a birdie at No. 2 in Thursday’s opening round with a double-bogey at No. 3 and didn’t get back to even-par until he turned the corner toward Calibogue Sound and rolled in a birdie at No. 16. He hasn’t made a bogey since.
Other top-ranked players not only have acknowledged this week that Scheffler seems to have separated himself from the field, they’ve openly marveled at it.
“I think I’ve been very fortunate to have played with a lot of top players,” Straka said. “I don’t think anybody has been quite on the run that Scottie is on right now, but just kind of making myself a little more comfortable in that situation. But the nerves will be flying tomorrow from the first tee. I don’t know that I’ll be all that comfortable anyway.”
Harbour Town hasn’t had much defense against a world-class field this week with perfect weather and light wind, but that could change Sunday with rain in the forecast beginning before the leaders tee off at 1:55 p.m.
I think tomorrow is going to be challenging. We’re going to get a different wind tomorrow, so the golf course will play pretty different. It’s something that we’ll adjust to tonight, kind of get in the right headspace. Go out tomorrow and try our best to stay patient and execute.
Of course, bad weather might not be enough to douse the all-timer hot streak Scheffler is riding. If he can get off to another quick start Sunday, we might see the field wilt away a la Tiger in his prime.
“Just looking to go out and get off to a good start. This golf course, you can shoot some low scores if you’re hitting it well and placing the ball in the right air with a, so that’s what I’m going to try and do tomorrow.”
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