Bhatia Climbs to Fourth as Griffin and Schmid Share Schwab Challenge Lead

Akshay Bhatia shot a third-round 69 to move into a tie for fourth at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He trails leaders Ben Griffin and Matti Schmid by five shots. World number one Scottie Scheffler made significant progress, rising to tied-seventh after a 6-under-par 64 round.

In a thrilling turn of events at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Akshay Bhatia demonstrated remarkable resilience, shooting a commendable third-round 69. Despite a challenging conclusion, marked by three bogeys within four holes, Bhatia advanced to a tie for fourth, trailing co-leaders Ben Griffin and Matti Schmid by a mere five shots. Griffin and Schmid maintained their joint lead with consistent performances, each carding a 68 for the third consecutive day to reach 13-under.

In another significant highlight, world number one Scottie Scheffler made a substantial leap, shooting a formidable 6-under 64, propelling him to a tie for seventh. Scheffler, eager to claim yet another victory following his recent successes at the CJ Cup and PGA Championship, remains seven shots adrift of the leading duo. Bhatia's round started strong with consecutive birdies, although his momentum waned with dropped shots on the 14th and 15th holes, before closing the day at one under par.

Elsewhere, Rickie Fowler delivered a solid three-under round to secure his position in third place, four shots off the lead. His consistent play was mirrored by Griffin and Schmid's sparse errors amidst otherwise stellar rounds. As the tournament progresses, anticipation builds around whether Bhatia or Scheffler might stage a further ascent on the leaderboard in the coming rounds.

(With inputs from agencies.)