Scottie Scheffler (+5) will have to wait until nightfall in Pinehurst to find out if he makes the cut in the US Open. A disastrous round without birdies of 74 strokes has put him on the brink. At the time of handing in his card, his result was 84th place. The first 60 and tied enter. On the edge.
Strange situation for the world’s Number One, who has not missed a weekend since the FedEx St Jude in 2022, in August, almost two years ago. Even stranger is that he does not make a birdie in the 18 holes. It is the first time this has happened to him in a Major since he turned professional and as an amateur it only happened to him once, in the US Open at Oakmont in 2016. He has played 65 rounds as a pro in majors. It is also the first time he has gone blank since 2022. He had strung together 168 consecutive rounds scratching at least one stroke off the course.
The explanation for this negative record of the most in-form golfer on the planet, remember that he came to this US Open with eleven consecutive top 10s and five victories, winning the Memorial last week, is in the greens. Look no further. The golfer who resides in Texas has suffered a real Chinese martyrdom with the putter and has ended up desperate, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
The numbers are indisputable. The longest putt he has made this Friday has been two and a half meters on the 13th to save par. From there, none has exceeded one meter. None is none. In fact, Scheffler has not played badly from tee to green. He has missed some opportunities, but he has been horrible in the art of killing. He has had up to ten putts of less than five meters and has missed nine. He only made the aforementioned 13th. He has also missed up to five putts of less than three meters. Desperate and very frustrating.
The round was going awry, but more or less held up by his long game, especially the irons to green. However, it completely derailed on hole 5, the only par 5 of the first nine, Scheffler’s second today. He hit a flawless drive, but his second shot, aiming for the green, bounced on the closely mown grass, but was very tight on the left and ended up slipping down the escape route to end up in the mythical sand and moña areas of Pinehurst.
The ball was well positioned and he tried to push the approach to give himself a birdie option. He knew he was in need. However, he fell short and the ball returned to his feet. The fourth shot went long, almost filazo. He caught it very clean and flew the green on the other side. Ping pong moment. From there he hit the fifth and left it about four meters for bogey. Of course, in line with the day, he missed the putt… Demolishing double bogey and +5.
Scheffler worked a lot with Phil Kenyon in the days leading up to the US Open on the Pinehurst putting green, but he has not felt comfortable. At the time of finishing his round, he had lost more than three average strokes compared to the rest, his worst record this year. A torture.
