World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler faced yet another tumultuous day on Friday at the Charles Schwab Challenge, carding a 2-over 73 in the second round—his worst score in 266 days. The result has dropped him down the leaderboard, dampening his hopes of contention this weekend.
Scheffler’s Scoring Slump: A 73 Breaks 266-Day Streak
Scheffler Stumbles, Ends Scoring Streak
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable run of low scoring came to an end on Thursday at the Genesis Scottish Open. The American carded a 2-over-par 73 in the first round, his highest score in 266 days.
Scheffler had not posted a score above 72 since the final round of last year’s Open Championship. During that stretch, he won four PGA Tour events, including the Masters Tournament and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The 73 broke a streak of 20 consecutive rounds in the 60s for Scheffler. It was also just the second time in his last 30 rounds that he had failed to shoot par or better.
Scheffler’s struggles on Thursday were largely due to his poor putting. He needed 32 putts in the round, including three three-putts. He also hit just 11 of 18 greens in regulation.
Despite his uncharacteristically high score, Scheffler remains in contention at the Genesis Scottish Open. He is just three strokes behind the leaders after the first round.
Scheffler’s Scoring Streak
| Tournament | Round | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Open Championship | Final | 72 |
| Wyndham Championship | 1st | 69 |
| Wyndham Championship | 2nd | 67 |
| Wyndham Championship | 3rd | 67 |
| Wyndham Championship | 4th | 68 |
| Northern Trust | 1st | 69 |
| Northern Trust | 2nd | 66 |
| Northern Trust | 3rd | 66 |
| Northern Trust | 4th | 69 |
| BMW Championship | 1st | 67 |
| BMW Championship | 2nd | 66 |
| BMW Championship | 3rd | 64 |
| BMW Championship | 4th | 68 |
| TOUR Championship | 1st | 68 |
| TOUR Championship | 2nd | 66 |
| TOUR Championship | 3rd | 67 |
| TOUR Championship | 4th | 65 |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | 1st | 65 |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | 2nd | 64 |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | 3rd | 67 |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | 4th | 68 |
| WM Phoenix Open | 1st | 68 |
| WM Phoenix Open | 2nd | 66 |
| WM Phoenix Open | 3rd | 69 |
| WM Phoenix Open | 4th | 67 |
| Genesis Invitational | 1st | 69 |
| Genesis Invitational | 2nd | 65 |
| Genesis Invitational | 3rd | 65 |
| Genesis Invitational | 4th | 65 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | 1st | 67 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | 2nd | 65 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | 3rd | 67 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | 4th | 67 |
| Masters Tournament | 1st | 69 |
| Masters Tournament | 2nd | 67 |
| Masters Tournament | 3rd | 68 |
| Masters Tournament | 4th | 64 |
| RBC Heritage | 1st | 69 |
| RBC Heritage | 2nd | 67 |
| RBC Heritage | 3rd | 66 |
| RBC Heritage | 4th | 69 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | 1st | 66 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | 2nd | 66 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | 3rd | 62 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | 4th | 66 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | 1st | 66 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | 2nd | 69 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | 3rd | 66 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | 4th | 66 |
| PGA Championship | 1st | 68 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd | 67 |
| PGA Championship | 3rd | 67 |
| PGA Championship | 4th | 73 |
Scheffler’s poor scoring was also due in part to the difficult conditions at Augusta National. The greens were firm and fast, and the wind was gusting, making it difficult to control shots. Scheffler also had to contend with a number of unlucky breaks, including a tee shot that hit a tree and ended up in the water.
Despite his struggles, Scheffler remained upbeat after the round. He said that he was still confident in his game and that he was looking forward to bouncing back on Friday.
Scheffler’s scoring woes are a reminder that even the best players in the world can have off days. However, Scheffler is a proven champion, and he has the mental toughness to overcome adversity. He will be looking to put his struggles behind him and contend for the green jacket on Sunday.
| Round | Score |
|---|---|
| 1 | 73 |
| 2 | 71 |
| 3 | 69 |
| 4 | 67 |
Factors Contributing to Scheffler’s High Score
Scottie Scheffler, the World No. 2, shot an uncharacteristic 2-over 73 in the first round of the WM Phoenix Open, his worst score in 266 days. Here are some factors that may have contributed to his high score:
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Tough course conditions: TPC Scottsdale is known for its challenging layout, with narrow fairways, fast greens, and a variety of hazards. The windy conditions on Thursday made it even more difficult to score low.
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Early tee time: Scheffler teed off in the morning, when the greens were still wet and slick from the overnight rain. This can make it difficult to get the ball close to the hole.
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Unfamiliar course: Scheffler is playing TPC Scottsdale for the first time this week. This means he has less experience with the course than some of the other players in the field.
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Pressure: As the World No. 2, Scheffler is under a lot of pressure to perform every time he tees it up. This pressure can sometimes lead to uncharacteristic mistakes.
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Off day: Even the best players in the world have off days from time to time. Scheffler may simply have not been on his game on Thursday.
Here is a table summarizing some of the shots Scheffler hit during his round:
| Hole | Shot | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drive | Fairway |
| 2 | Approach | Green |
| 3 | Putt | Missed |
| 4 | Drive | Bunker |
| 5 | Bunker shot | Green |
| 6 | Putt | Missed |
| 7 | Drive | Fairway |
| 8 | Approach | Green |
| 9 | Putt | Made |
Scheffler’s high score can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the tough conditions, his unfamiliarity with the course, and the pressure of being the World No. 2.
Strategies for Regaining Scoring Consistency
After carding his first round over par in nearly nine months, reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is looking for ways to regain his scoring consistency. Here are a few strategies that Scheffler and other golfers can use to improve their scoring:
- Focus on the fundamentals. When golfers are struggling with their scoring, it’s often because they’re not hitting the ball well. Make sure you’re taking practice swings and focusing on your grip, posture, and swing mechanics.
- Play to your strengths. Every golfer has their own strengths and weaknesses. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Instead, play to your strengths and try to minimize your weaknesses.
- Manage your course. One of the keys to scoring well is managing the course. This means understanding the layout of the course, knowing where to hit the ball, and avoiding hazards.
- Be patient. Golf is a game of patience. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t start out well. Stay patient and keep grinding, and you’ll eventually start to see your scores improve.
- Set realistic goals. It’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t try to shoot a score that you’re not capable of. Instead, set a goal that is challenging but achievable.
By following these strategies, golfers can improve their scoring consistency and reach their full potential.
That’s all for this week’s Monday Finish. Thanks for reading!
