Scottie Scheffler‘s third round at the The American ExpressPGA Tour event in La Quinta, California provided plenty of compelling golf, but it was a bizarre moment that involving a fan that stole attention on Saturday.
Cameras repeatedly caught a spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask following the world No 1 around the Pete Dye Stadium Course.
The unusual sight drew social media attention and sparked a wave of reactions from golf fans online.
Scheffler, who carded a four under 68 to sit just one shot behind leader Si Woo Kim heading into the final round, seemed unfazed by his costumed companion.
The masked fan appeared amid a relatively small gallery, making the juxtaposition between elite golf and a famous cinematic villain even more striking to viewers at home.
One popular post on Twitter shared a clip of the masked figure trailing Scheffler: “There’s a dude in the crowd following round Scottie Scheffler at the AmEx with a Darth Vader mask on”, a user posted on X.com.
That clip quickly inspired commentary from other fans. One wrote: “Definitely got a hex on him today.”
Another joked: “Such a small crowd, good chance of becoming memorable.”
A third reaction took the humour a step further: “It’s Blades…”, referencing the young contender on the leaderboard.
For all the online fun, Scheffler’s focus remained firmly on his golf.
He mixed six birdies with two bogeys and stayed in strong contention for the title, exhibiting the sort of mental toughness that has made him one of the sport’s most consistent players.
Leaderboard drama and young hotshot dominate
While the Darth Vader cosplay grabbed eyeballs, the leaderboard drama at The American Express was anything but a sideshow.
Scheffler shared second place with 18-year-old Blades Brown, a recent high school graduate from Nashville, Tennessee, who has quickly become a fan favourite with his fearless play.
Brown capped his round with three straight birdies, including a 25-footer on the island green 17th and a long birdie on the 18th, helping lift him into a tie with the world number one.
Reflecting on his position, Brown said during an on course interview: “I feel great. I got another opportunity to see what we can make happen tomorrow. Got another 18 holes and [it] should be fun.”
Meanwhile, leader Si Woo Kim stayed calm and efficient, shooting a six-under-66 to claim the overnight lead going into Sunday. His composed play contrasted with some of the light hearted narratives swirling around social media.
The blend of competitive tension and quirky pop culture moments helped make Saturday’s coverage one of the most talked about in recent PGA Tour memory.
Whether it was Vader’s shadow over Scheffler or Brown’s confident stride up the leaderboard, The American Express managed to deliver both drama and a smile.
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