Scottie Scheffler is finally ruffled at the PGA Championship, while Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa exchange birdie blows to share the lead heading into a Sunday showdown

At 7:28am Friday morning, Scottie Scheffler would have felt he was in need of a prayer, sitting in a Louisville jail cell as the minute ticked down to his tee time. On Saturday morning, the PGA provided the perfect person to say his prayers - prayers he very much needed four holes into his third round.

The World No. 1 found himself without his usual bagman for round three of the PGA Championship. While caddying duties for yet another major challenge from Scheffler is undoubtedly important, when family calls, Ted Scott answers.

Scott left his player’s side to jet home to Louisiana for his daughter’s high school graduation Saturday. It was supposed to be the greatest upheaval of Scheffler’s major championship. That was until Friday’s early morning field trip to a Louisville jail courtesy of a cop car created one of the most astonishing moments of the sporting year.

Scott’s Saturday substitute was a man that Scheffler, a devout man of faith, would have wished he had by his side as he watched himself on ESPN through the bars of his cell Friday morning. Brad Payne, who looped up in place of Scott, is a close friend of Scheffler. He is also the PGA chaplain.

Scheffler is the most placid and composed character on the PGA Tour. If the events of Friday morning couldn’t rattle his game, then a mere change of caddie surely wouldn’t. Yet, Xander Schauffele and the rest of the field were left breathing a sigh of relief just four holes into Scheffler’s round.

Scottie Scheffer suffered during his third round at the PGA Championship on Saturday 

PGA chaplain Brad Payne filled in as the World No. 1's caddie for the third round

Scheffler poses for his mugshot after being charged with second-degree assault on Friday

The implosion began with a double-bogey six at the second, which was followed by a trip to the woods with his tee shot at the third. Scheffler had to hop over a fence to retrieve his ball for a penalty drop, which resulted in a bogey, and any hope of an immediate bounceback was dashed with another at the fourth.

The Texan was living on a prayer for the remainder of his round as five birdies and three more bogeys performed some damage limitation, leaving him two-over for the day and seven-under for the tournament, eight back of the leaders.

It was the first time Scheffler has carded over-par in 42 rounds on the PGA Tour, snapping his streak ten shy of Tiger Woods' run over the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

While his fellow pros know never to let their guard down around Scheffler, Schauffele was instead faced with a different challenger Saturday.

Schauffele is all too familiar with victory being snatched from his claws and with Collin Morikawa breathing down his neck, flashbacks of last week’s Wells Fargo Championship collapse rocked him at the 15th.

Morikawa, who started one shot back, leapfrogged to the top of the leaderboard when his birdie putt lipped round the entire edge of the cup before dropping, while Schauffele’s shortgame shortcomings cost him a double bogey.

Scheffler had to hop over a fence to retrieve his ball for a penalty drop at the third

Overnight leader Xander Schauffele carded a three-under 68 for this third round

The American was joined atop the leaderboard by playing partner Collin Morikawa (right)

Morikawa had parried his countryman’s blows strike for strike to stay within one of Schauffele throughout the round and he seized on the opportunity to snatch the new one-shot lead.

It didn’t last long as Schauffele, desperate to not allow another major slip away, clawed his way back as the pair traded birdies over the final two holes to finish in a share of the 15-under lead, one shot ahead of Sahith Theegala.

But there was a new threat at the top of the leaderboard in the form of Shane Lowry. The Irishman matched Schauffele’s historic 62 from the opening round to catapult his way into contention, joining Viktor Hovland and Bryson DeChambeau in a tie for fourth at 13-under.

DeChambeau led the rest of the American charge, holing out from off the 18th green for an eagle flourish finish. Meanwhile, hometown hero Justin Thomas gave Louisville something to holler about with a four-under 67 seeing him sneak into the top-10.