Alex Noren in contention at PGA Championship after recovering from hamstring injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C.— The closest competitor to PGA Championship leader Scottie Scheffler is a 42-year-old from Sweden who’s played only four PGA Tour rounds all year because of a hamstring tendon injury.That would be Alex Noren, who’s 8-under par and three shots behind Scheffler after shooting a 5-under-par 66 on Saturday.Noren, ranked No.

72 in the world, has played in 184 PGA Tour events without a victory, having finished runner-up three times.He has, however, won 10 times on the DP World Tour.“It feels good,’’ Noren said of being in contention.“I got it together.’’While shelved with the injury, he’s been spending time with his family and coaching his daughter’s softball games.“It was a lot easier to have this break when I’m 42 than when I was younger,’’ he said.

“As soon as I kind of could play, I thought I was in sort of the same form I was in before I got injured.I’m fortunate to be in this position this early.’’He called the injury a “bad injury’’ as far as golf, but it allowed him to live a normal life at home.“But I couldn’t swing a club, I couldn’t jump or run,’’ he said.

“I could walk kind of slowly and live a normal life.I could coach my kids.

Spent a lot of time with the family.It’s been quite nice.’’Now he has a chance to capture the biggest victory of his life on Sunday if he can chase down Scheffler.Of the past 40 PGA Championships, 37 of the winners were within four shots of the lead entering the final round.

If that holds to form on Sunday, that would mean only Noren, Davis Riley and J.T.Poston have a chance to catch Scheffler.The only time that Noren has entered the final round of a major championship among the top five on the leaderboard was at the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale (T-5 after 54, finished T-19).Keegan Bradley closed his third round going par on 16, par on 17 and birdie on 18 — 1-under-par through the treacherous “Green Mile’’ finishing stretch.

That got...