The China Mail - No.1 Scheffler and Rahm deadlocked in back-nine PGA fight

The 28-year-old American was struggling with tee shots fading left even as a host of rivals were in hot pursuit after Scheffler began the day with a three-stroke edge over Sweden's Alex Noren.

Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, made the turn on nine-under overall after a birdie and three bogeys on the front side.

Moments later, Rahm followed a birdie at the par-five 10th with another at 11 to match Scheffler on nine-under overall with Noren third, American J.T. Poston and England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who eagled the par-four 14th, on seven-under.

American Harris English was in the clubhouse in sixth on 278.

At the first hole, Scheffler found a greenside bunker and missed a six-foot par putt, yet Noren opened with bogey as well so the lead remained three strokes with Rahm four adrift.

Scheffler curled in a 14-foot birdie putt at the second to seize a four-stroke edge, the event-best fifth time this week he answered a bogey with a next-hole birdie.

When Noren made bogey at the par-3 fourth, Scheffler's lead stretched to five strokes.

Scheffler made a breaking downhill 18-foot par putt at the fifth to keep the margin but after missing the green at six, Scheffler pitched to just inside 10 feet but missed the par putt and fell to 10-under, the lead down to four.

Rahm's birdies and eight and 10 lifted him within two while Noren made a birdie at the par-five seventh after blasting out of a greenside bunker to within three feet of the hole.

At nine, Scheffler needed four just to reach the green, with a tap-in bogey leaving him at two-over 37 on the front nine, his first over-par nine-hole run of the week.

Rahm then took full advantage with a birdie at 11 to share the lead.

G.Tsang--ThChM