Scottie Scheffler holds WM Phoenix Open lead in bid to repeat

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottie Scheffler held onto the lead Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open in a bid to defend his title and regain the No. 1 spot in the world.

The second-ranked Scheffler shot a 3-under-par 68 in front of some 200,000 fans at TPC Scottsdale to get to 13-under, two strokes ahead of third-ranked Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor.

Rahm also had a 68, holing a curling 40-footer for birdie on the stadium 16th for his third birdie in four holes. Taylor shot 67.

Scheffler would take the No. 1 spot from Rory McIlroy — tied for 28th at 3-under after a 70 — with a victory, as long as McIlroy finishes worse than solo third. Scheffler also could get to No. 1 by finishing solo second if McIlroy is 36th or worse and Rahm doesn’t win.

Rahm, the former Arizona State star from Spain, would go to No. 1 with a victory if McIlroy finishes worse than a three-way tie for second, or by finishing solo second if McIlroy finishes worse than solo 47th and Scheffler doesn’t win.

Jordan Spieth and Adam Hadwin were 10-under.

Spieth had the best score in the delayed second round, finishing off a 63 in the morning. He added a 69 in the third round, highlighted by a 77-yard bunker shot to 3 feet to set up a birdie on the par-4 17th.

Hadwin had a 71, playing in the final group with Scheffler and Rahm. He hit to 1 1/2 feet for birdie on the 16th, the closest of the round on the par-3 hole on the final tee shot of the day.

In the morning, Hadwin — on the 11th green Friday when second-round play was suspended because of darkness — finished off his second straight 66 for a share of the lead with Scheffler at 10-under.

Last year, Scheffler beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff for his first PGA Tour title. Scheffler added victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Match Play and Masters and was the PGA Tour’s player of the year.

The 26-year-old Texan followed a bogey on the par-5 13th — his first bogey since his fourth hole Thursday — with a birdie on the par-4 14th, hitting a 210-yard shot to 4 feet. He also birdied the 17h.

Rahm opened the year with consecutive victories in the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express.

Rickie Fowler, the 2019 winner, had a 67 to join Tyrrell Hatton (67), Sungjae Im (67), Jason Day (68) and Xander Schauffele (70) at 9-under. Schauffele bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16.