Scottie Scheffler is looking up on the leaderboard at the AT&T Byron Nelson at a couple of contemporaries without nearly the resume the Dallas resident has built over the past 15 months.
In fact, Austin Eckroat and China’s Marty Dou are seeking a first PGA Tour victory.
The Oklahoma-raised Eckroat shot an 8-under 63, one better than Dou, and the pair shared a two-shot lead with Texan Ryan Palmer at 16 under after the third round of the Nelson on Saturday in Mckinley, Texas.
Scheffler was in the group at 14 under after the hometown favorite faltered with a bogey at the par-5 18th when his second shot hit the lip of a fairway bunker and stayed in it.
Palmer had an eagle putt for the outright lead on 18, but the 35-footer stopped just short, leaving him at 68. Scheffler shot even-par 71 after the best two-round start to his career with a pair of 64s.
Dou, who lives in the Dallas area and is on his home course at the TPC Craig Ranch, is the same age as the 26-year-old Scheffler. Eckroat is just two years younger and says he played plenty of golf “from all ages” with the former Texas Longhorn.
Lee holds 3-shot edge at Founders Cup
Defending champion Minjee Lee of Australia overcame an opening bogey for a 5-under 67 and a three-stroke lead Saturday, heading in the final round of the Founders Cup.
No. 6 in the world, Lee had four birdies and an eagle after dropping a stroke on the par-4 first at Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey. The 26-year-old had a 12-under 204 total in her bid to join Jin Young Ko as the only players to successfully defend a title in the event that honors the 13 founding members of the LPGA Tour.
Ko won in 2019 and 2021. The event was not held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson surges ahead at LIV Tulsa
Dustin Johnson finally looks to be getting his game back together, posting a 7-under 63 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of LIV Golf Tulsa.
Johnson, a two-time major winner and former No. 1 player in the world, won the points title in LIV Golf’s final season. But he has yet to finish closer than five shots of the winner in the five events of the Saudi-funded league this year.