Scheffler Two Clear at St Jude as Burns Looms With a 62
Scottie Scheffler takes a two-shot lead into the final round of the St Jude Championship in Memphis, chasing his first PGA Tour victory since January.
The world number one carded a two-under 68 on Saturday to sit at 13 under par through 54 holes at TPC Southwind. Sam Burns and Im Sung-jae are tied at 11 under, two strokes back. BBC Sport
Burns made his move in spectacular fashion. He played the third round without a single bogey — a dropped shot, in plain terms — and signed for an eight-under 62, the lowest round of the week alongside Scheffler's Friday 61. That 61 had tied the TPC Southwind course record, built on a blistering start in which Scheffler birdied the first five holes. PGA Tour
Scheffler's most recent win came at The American Express in his first start of 2026. Since then, nothing — a drought that stretches nearly seven months for a player who dominated the previous season. The last time he led an event after 54 holes was the 2025 Open Championship. PGA Tour; BBC Sport
The final pairing carries its own storyline. Scheffler and Burns are close friends off the course and will walk the final 18 holes together. Two strokes is a comfortable cushion, not a commanding one — especially over a field that has shown it can go low around Southwind.
Tommy Fleetwood, the defending FedEx Cup champion (the season-long points race that culminates in a four-tournament play-off series), is at eight under alongside Jake Knapp. Sweden's Alex Noren sits at seven under, Norway's Viktor Hovland at six. All are within reach if the leader falters. BBC Sport
Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose will not be in contention. Both finished the third round at six over par, their rounds undone by the 18th hole. McIlroy drove into the water and walked off with a double-bogey six. Rose found the water twice on his way to a triple-bogey seven. BBC Sport
The St Jude Championship is the first of three FedEx Cup play-off events. The top 50 in the standings after this week advance to the BMW Championship; the top 30 from there reach the Tour Championship, where the season's biggest prize is decided. So while Scheffler chases a trophy, dozens of players further down the board are fighting simply to keep their seasons alive. BBC Sport
For fans, the final round offers a clean tension. Scheffler has the game to protect a lead, but his seven-month winless run adds a layer of doubt that pure numbers cannot capture. Burns, meanwhile, has the momentum — a bogey-free 62 does not happen by accident. Two friends, two shots apart, 18 holes to settle it.
