Scottie Scheffler was not at his best on day three of the BMW Championship, but he still managed to grind out a three-under-par 67.
Robert MacIntyre heads into the final round with the lead, but the world number one is just behind him and well within striking distance.
The American golfer has been incredibly consistent this year, and it is rare to see him outside the top five.
He is now closing in on his 13th straight top-eight finish on tour, which is quite an achievement by any standard.
Scheffler’s iron play has not been as sharp as usual this week, but he still has a strong chance to pick up his fifth win of the season.
The world number one was not pleased during his third round after he and MacIntyre were put on the clock for slow play.
He will need to chase down an in-form MacIntyre on Sunday, but no one would be surprised if he pulls it off once again.
Scottie Scheffler annoyed after BMW Championship rules decision
Even when his game is not sharp, Scheffler has a habit of turning in solid scores. Saturday’s 67 at Caves Valley was another example of that, despite him not feeling entirely comfortable.
Speaking to reporters after the third round of the BMW Championship, Scheffler was asked if being put on the clock during his round had any impact on him.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s frustrating. I didn’t really feel like I did anything to put us behind on time,” he said.
Scheffler continued: “Bob and I got warned on No. 9, and I felt like we did some pretty good stuff on 9, 10 and 11 and we somehow didn’t gain a single second on pace of play. I’m not really sure how that’s possible.”
When told that Ludvig Aberg, playing ahead of him, is known for playing quickly, Scheffler responded:
“They got put on the clock as well today. So I don’t know how quick he was today.
“It’s just one of those things where all of a sudden now I’m punished for a rules decision I did not totally agree with, and then I can feel it gusting on 12, I can feel it gusting on 13, and there was nothing I can do about it; you’ve got to get up there and hit the shot.”
Scheffler added: “Overall I did what I could to keep us on pace, and hopefully we don’t run into that situation tomorrow.”
Scottie Scheffler’s previous comments on slow play
Scheffler is not exactly known for being slow on the course.
While he takes his time reading putts, he generally moves along without much delay.
During the US Open in June, when rounds were stretching close to six hours, Scheffler shared his thoughts on the issue.
“Why do you think? It felt long to me. Both the par-5s we basically walked up on the group in front of us. When it’s up on No. 8 – you’ve got a drivable par-4 on 17. (The long par-3 eighth hole) is basically a drivable par-4, too.
“You guys are the ones watching. I’m just trying to play. I’ve got too many concerns other than the pace it takes to get around this place.
“Going into a golf course like this with this many players and this tough of a golf course, you know it’s going to take a while. Look at the ground we’ve got to cover out there to walk 18 holes. That’s a big piece of property. It just takes time.”
Scheffler was not happy with how slowly things moved at Oakmont but recognised that was part of playing such a demanding layout.
At Caves Valley, though, being put on the clock alongside MacIntyre seemed harsh given their general pace throughout the round.
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