“It was incredible. It was so much fun,” he said.
“I got off to the perfect start, 3-under through 4. I felt like at the end of the front nine there, at least through 11, the par on 7 felt like a bogey, and then the bogey on 11.
“Then to play those last seven holes at 3-under I thought was a good effort. Yeah, I played well. I rode my luck at times, but yeah, it was an incredible atmosphere out there. I feel like I’ve at least given myself half a chance tomorrow.”
Fitzpatrick frustrated while compatriots shine
Matt Fitzpatrick started the day just a shot adrift of Scheffler but now has five to make up after a frustrating day.
His short putting has been a hindrance at times throughout the week and a miss from inside five feet for par on the 1st was far from the tone setter he was hoping for.
He responded with a chip-in eagle at the 2nd and a birdie at 7 kept him in touch.
But three bogeys on the way in proved damaging for one of only three players in the top 33 not to shoot under-par.
Tyrrell Hatton enjoyed one of the moments of the day, holing out from 140 yards for an eagle on the 7th, and carded a 68 to stand at eight-under. A bogey at 16 was his only blemish and just as at last month’s US Open, he enters the final day at the business end.