HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. >> Scottie Scheffler drilled his opening tee shot — straight down the middle, of course — with a grandstand packed with spectators behind him. What got his attention was when he looked back from the green and saw that it was empty.

Thousands of fans didn’t want to miss the Masters champion on Saturday in the RBC Heritage, and Scheffler didn’t disappoint.

His shots were like lasers into the greens as he quickly worked his way into the lead and stayed there. One last birdie on the 18th hole at Harbour Town gave Scheffler a bogey-free 63 and a one-shot lead over Sepp Straka.

“It felt to me like the crowd was coming with me today, and there was definitely a lot of cheers out there,” Scheffler said. “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.”

He won a green jacket last week, perhaps a plaid jacket from Harbour Town this week. Scheffler wasn’t kidding when he talked about how much he hates to lose.

At stake Sunday is a fourth win in his last five starts, and a chance to become the first player since Bernhard Langer in 1985 to win the Masters and the next PGA Tour stop on the schedule. The only other Masters champion to do that was Gary Player in 1978.

“I think when I’m playing my best, sometimes it feels like I’m competing against myself a little bit out there, trying to keep pushing and stay as focused as I can,” Scheffler said.

Scheffler was at 16-under 197. Straka made a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 65 to get within one shot. They will be in the final group Sunday, with a different wind and thunderstorms in the forecast.

Two-time major Collin Morikawa made one mistake late, coming up short of the 16th green and missing a 10-foot par putt. He had a 68 and was two shots behind.

Korda 1 stroke back in suspended 3rd round>> Nelly Korda was one shot off the lead at the Chevron Championship when the third round was suspended Saturday because of lightning.

Play at Carlton Woods was halted just before 3 p.m. and called for the day two-and-a-half hours later with dangerous conditions remaining. The third round of the LPGA’s first major of the season will resume Sunday morning, with the final round scheduled to commence just before 9:30 a.m.

Korda, who is trying to tie an LPGA Tour record with her fifth straight victory, was 3-under 41 through 11 holes in the third round and 10 under overall.