Scheffler holds two-shot lead heading into final round in Memphis
World number one Scottie Scheffler leads the St Jude Championship after round three as he seeks his first win since January, with close friend Sam Burns paired alongside him in the final group.
Scottie Scheffler, the world's top-ranked golfer, carries a two-stroke advantage into the final round of the St Jude Championship after carding a 68 on Saturday, putting him at 13 under par overall. The 30-year-old American is chasing his first tournament victory since January.
American Sam Burns sits second at 11 under after a bogey-free round of 62, sharing the spot with South Korea's Im Sung-jae. The event, held at TPC Southwind in Memphis, serves as the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup play-offs.
Three strokes further back at eight under are American Jake Knapp and England's Tommy Fleetwood, the reigning FedEx Cup champion. Sunday's final round will see Scheffler and Burns, who are close friends, paired together, adding an unusual dynamic to the competition.
Scheffler, who last held a 54-hole lead at the 2025 Open Championship, said his approach for the final round would stay unchanged — simply executing his game plan. He acknowledged that competing directly against a close friend feels a little strange, though he expects it to be an enjoyable experience.
Sweden's Alex Noren and Norway's Viktor Hovland are also positioned well, at seven and six under respectively. By contrast, six-time major champion Rory McIlroy and 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose both struggled on the 18th hole on Saturday. McIlroy hit his tee shot into the water and finished with a double bogey, while Rose found the same water hazard twice en route to a triple bogey. Both now sit at six over par.
At the end of the weekend, the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings will progress to next week's BMW Championship, with the leading 30 from that event advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship.
