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Scottie Scheffler, the No 1 player in the world, never looked to be in the mix until he closed out his round of 68 by holing a seven-iron from 196 yards on the 17th hole and making a 20-foot birdie putt that put him in the penultimate group with McIlroy.
For so many others, it didn’t take much to lose ground.
Xander Schauffele began his round by taking three shots to get out of a fairway bunker, making three bogeys in five holes, only to get it all back before losing ground at the end with a series of poor drives. He was at 73, five shots back.
Harris English kept pace with the leaders until he missed short putts, big drives and ended his day with a chip shot from the deep collar around the 18th green that didn’t move the ball. His fourth bogey of the back nine gave him a 71, leaving him four shots behind.
Kiwi Ryan Fox mixed an excellent day tee-to-green with a below-average putting round to shoot one-under, and move to one-over for the tournament, in a share of 32nd.
This is the third time Fowler has been in the final group at a major — and the first time he doesn’t have anyone in front of him, and he was so close to being the one to chase.
“Just a bummer. It would be nice for that one to go in,” Fowler said about his short miss. “Really doesn’t matter — having the lead, being one back, two back — you’re going to have to play good golf.”
While this is Fowler’s third time in the final group of a major, for Clark it’s his third time playing in the final round of a major. He has been on the rise this year, winning at Quail Hollow last month for his first PGA Tour win.
McIlroy had a chance to end his major drought last summer at St Andrews when he shared the lead going into the final round, only for Cam Smith to blow past him. He has been in position twice in the last two weeks, at the Memorial and Canadian Open, only to turn in a dud of a final round.
The stakes are enormous this time, on this stage. And he has the experience, though he wasn’t sure to make of that.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve done it,” said McIlroy, whose last major was at the PGA Championship in 2014. “I’m going out there to try to execute a game plan, and I feel like over the last three days I’ve executed that game plan really, really well. And I just need to do that for one more day.”
Scheffler is suddenly in the mix, all because of one remarkable shot and one big putt. He has been the model of consistency this year, even in the majors — a tie for 10th at the Masters, a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship.
“I’m standing there on 17 tee and just made another bogey, and I’m looking up at the board and I’m seven shots back and I’m thinking maybe I can steal one shot coming in,” Scheffler said.
He stole three and now is well within range.
The scores don’t indicate this is the toughest test in golf, but it’s likely to feel like way for the players chasing the silver trophy — Fowler and Clark going for their first, McIlroy hopeful of a win that will take attention away from what has been keeping him from another.