Scheffler Builds Two-Shot Lead at St. Jude
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- Scottie Scheffler recovered from hitting only one green through the opening five holes to shoot 2-under 68, reaching 13-under 197 and trying to end a stretch of five runner-up finishes plus five other top-fours since his lone 2026 win
- Sam Burns fired a 62 to climb into a tie for second at 11-under 199 with Sungjae Im (67), setting up the first final-group pairing between close friends — Scheffler called it 'a little weird' because he genuinely wants Burns to win
- Jordan Spieth, sitting at No. 54 in the FedEx Cup, shot 72 and dropped from a tie for fifth to a tie for 19th, putting his spot in next week's BMW Championship — and qualification for next year's $20 million signature events — in jeopardy
- Sungjae Im is the only player projected to move into the top 50, having started at No. 53 and held his own in Saturday's final group with Scheffler before finishing tied for second
- Brian Harman (No. 65 in the FedEx Cup, tied for sixth after a 69) said the signature series is 'where the best golf is played' and needs to climb several spots to reach the top-50 cutoff, though his 2023 British Open win already locks in his majors
- Tommy Fleetwood (68) and Jake Knapp (67) sit five shots behind Scheffler at 8-under, with the heat index topping 100 degrees at TPC Southwind and ice-water-soaked towels placed on every tee
Why it matters: The top-50 cutoff splits the final round into two races: Scheffler chasing his first win since January while Spieth (No. 54) and Harman (No. 65) try to survive into the BMW Championship and secure spots in next year's $20 million signature events. A Scheffler victory would also deny Burns, who has had close calls at the U.S. Open and British Open, his first win of the year in a first-time final-group matchup between the two friends.
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