Xander Schauffele ends US PGA title defence complaining about conditions

Xander Schauffele ended the defence of his US PGA Championship as he started it, making a double bogey on the 16th hole and complaining about conditions.

Schauffele and 54-hole leader Scottie Scheffler were the two highest-profile players to speak out about the decision not to allow preferred lies in Thursday’s first round, despite torrential rain disrupting practice earlier in the week.

Both men blamed “mud balls” for hooking their second shots to the 16th into the water in round one and the same hole cost Schauffele another six on Sunday, although this time his ire was directed at the 17th instead.

“After kind of a decent round going, the goal was to try to backdoor a top 10,” said the Open champion, who had covered his first 15 holes in five under par, including a chip-in eagle on the eighth.

“I got greedy on 16, that one was on me. No mud on that ball unfortunately. Hit that in the water (from a fairway bunker).

“Then 17 is a pretty ridiculous set-up today. That will be one to keep an eye on. You have, I don’t know, like a 10-foot window to land it to keep it somewhere like pin high.”

After dropping a shot on the 17th Schauffele did at least birdie the 18th to complete a 68, his only sub-par round of the week.

“Yeah, I’d like to keep it going,” Schauffele said. “If we had four more days stacked up right now, I feel like I’d have a pretty good chance.

“Just kind of was in better form, and then I had a few things go awry in my swing and made my approach play pretty bad. Just kind of lost control of the golf ball there midweek, unfortunately.

“Just didn’t have enough to score well, but I feel like I’m playing a lot better than what I’m doing. So just got to hang tough.”

Scheffler took a three-shot lead over Sweden’s Alex Noren into the final round and after both men bogeyed the opening hole, Scheffler bounced back with a birdie on the second to extend his advantage.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy had earlier completed a final round of 72 to finish three over par and declined to speak to the media for the fourth day in succession.