DeChambeau ‘behind the 8-ball,’ sits 6 back at PGA Championship

Charlotte, NC – Standing on the 16th Tee box at quail hollow club on Saturday, LIV Golf League Captain Bryson dechambeau Had the Outright Lead in the Pga Championship.

Dechambeau had just made a beardie on the Par-5 15th, his fifth of the round, to get to 8 under. He was one stroke ahead of Davis Riley And Venezuela’s Jhonattan VegasThe unlikely leader in each of the first two rounds.

“I was pumped,” Dechambeau saaid. “I was like, ‘all right, in the lead. Let’s go. Let’s keep pressing.”

Unfortunately for Dechambeau, He Still Had to Play “Green Mile,” Quail Hollow’s Famous Three-Hole Closing Stretch.

He didn is the left for long.

On the Par-4 16th, Dechambeau Hit his 375-Yard Drive Into the Right Rogh. His second shot from 142 yards stopped on the fringe of the green. He chipped to about 6 feet, then his His par putt to too hard. The ball lipped out, leaving Him with a Bogey that was dropped Him to 7 under.

Then, on the par-3 17th, Dechambeau’s Tee shot from 187 yards was long engh and want into the lake in the free of the green. After a drop, he hit his third shot to 23 feet. He Two-Putted for a double-boogey 5.

“Hit a great 9-air exactly the way i wanted to,” Dechambeau sa. “The wind just pumped it.

With a par on the 18th, dechambeau posted a 2-friend 69. He was tied for eighth at 5 under 54 holes, six strokes Behind No. 1 golfer Scottie SchefflerWho is to take control of the tournament with a 6-ta-ta-ta-ta-friend 65 on Saturday.

“All I can do is control what I can control, and if I go out and shoot 6-, 7-t of, that’s what I’m focused on doing,” Dechambeau Said. “Not that’s what I’m going to do, but you never know but i’m going to shoot as low as I can.

“I’m Behind the 8-ball now.

The odds are stacked against dechambeau coming from that far back to win on Sunday. All but one of the past 35 winners of the Pga Championship Were Among the Top Five after 54 Holes (Justin thomas Was tied for seventh before winning in 2022, and all but one of the pass 14 winners water eithy leading or with two strokes Going Into 18 holes (thomas was strokes bohind).

Dechambeau’s length off the tee will once again be an advantage – He leaves the field with a driving distance available of 331 yards – but he’l has to be near flawless. He hit only five of 14 Fairways and 12 of 18 Greens in the Third round.

And, of course, the steady schefler will have to make more than a few mistakes.

Dechambeau would have been a lot class to scheffler if not for the gaffes on nos. 16 and 17.

“That’s why golf is the worst for-plter word in the world,” Dechambeau Said.