Although he will start the final 18 holes of the tournament five shots behind the leader, Scottie Scheffler is by no means out of the fight for the WM Phoenix Open. This Saturday, he left the Stadium Course with clearly better feelings than in the previous two days and the conviction that he is still very much alive in the tournament. “I did good things out there. I liked how I played and felt I was close to doing something really big,” he explained after a solid round of 67 strokes on a course that, as he insisted, allows no concessions.
The Number One in the World Golf Ranking highlighted the demanding nature of the course, especially with increasingly firm greens. “This course is very demanding. To make birdies, you need very precise and very clean shots,” he noted, before adding that “with the greens so firm, it’s complicated,” so the goal is to minimise mistakes and take advantage of the few clear opportunities. “Today I did everything I could,” he summarised.
Asked about the possibility of playing more aggressively, Scheffler was clear: the margin exists, but under very specific conditions. “If you’re on the fairway, you can be aggressive on some shots,” he stated. “On this course, if you put the ball in play, there are moments when you can attack,” he explained, making it clear that the key is control from the tee.
Five shots behind Matsuyama, the American remains confident ahead of tomorrow’s final round. “Unless something very strange happens, I shouldn’t be out of the tournament,” he warned, convinced that the scenario remains open. However, he acknowledged that he will need something special: “I’m going to need a special round. If I make birdies on the toughest part and gain momentum, you never know what might happen.”
The current feelings are quite different from those at the start of the tournament. “Now I feel much better than on Thursday. I feel like I have control of the clubs again,” he confessed, satisfied with the evolution of his swing after his time on the practice field. “I feel very comfortable with where my game is right now,” he added, conveying confidence in his process.
That ability to always stay in the fight is precisely one of the traits that Scheffler considers distinctive in his career. “Probably my greatest virtue is being able to always stay close to the lead,” he reflected. And he concluded with an idea that defines his recent trajectory: “What I’m most proud of is the consistency I’ve had these last few years.” Tomorrow he will try to have it again and give himself a chance to secure his fourth consecutive victory in his last four official circuit tournaments.
