World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler experienced an unusual playing partner during the third round of The American Express tournament on Saturday, as a spectator dressed as the iconic Star Wars villain Darth Vader followed his group around the course.
Scheffler Maintains Focus Amidst Sci-Fi Distraction
The 29-year-old American professional carded a solid four-under 68 at La Quinta Country Club in California, positioning himself in a share of second place heading into the final day of competition. Despite the eerie presence of the masked fan moving through the small crowd behind him, Scheffler appeared completely unaffected, maintaining laser-like concentration on his shots throughout the round.
Social Media Erupts Over Mysterious Course Visitor
Television coverage of the PGA Tour event quickly captured the bizarre spectacle, prompting immediate reaction across social media platforms. Golf enthusiasts and Star Wars fans alike flooded online forums with commentary about the unexpected course visitor.
"That's weird and scary," one observer commented on platform X, while another suggested "Definitely got a hex on him today." The speculation extended to Scheffler's performance, with a third user boldly predicting "He's obviously lost" despite the golfer's strong position on the leaderboard.
Some fans drew direct connections between the Sith Lord's presence and Scheffler's occasional struggles, with one noting "A lot of pressure to play golf in front of Vader, probably where those bogies came from." The four-time major champion did indeed record two bogeys during Saturday's play, though his overall performance kept him firmly in contention.
Leaderboard Takes Shape Heading Into Final Round
Scheffler enters Sunday's decisive action just one stroke behind tournament leader Si Woo Kim, who quietly compiled an impressive six-under 66 at the same venue. Kim brings considerable experience to the final round, having qualified for the PGA Tour through the old Q-school system back in 2012 when he was just 17 years old.
Sharing second place with Scheffler is remarkable teenage talent Blades Brown, an 18-year-old who graduated from high school merely two weeks ago. The young amateur demonstrated exceptional composure by finishing his third round with three consecutive birdies, including impressive putts from 25 feet on the island-green 17th hole and from 45 feet on the final hole.
Unconventional Spectator Becomes Tournament Talking Point
While professional golfers routinely encounter enthusiastic fans during tournaments, the appearance of a fully-costumed Darth Vader represents one of the more unusual spectator incidents in recent PGA Tour memory. The dark lord of the Sith's silent pursuit of Scheffler's group added a surreal element to the competitive atmosphere in La Quinta.
As players prepare for Sunday's final round, all eyes will be on whether Scheffler can overcome any perceived "Force" interference to challenge for the title, while the mysterious Vader spectator's potential return remains an open question that has already become one of the tournament's most memorable subplots.
