Scottie Scheffler reminded the golf world that he’s, in actual fact, mortal on Friday on the Houston Open.
A 3-putt on 18 from seven ft noticed him card an even-par 70. After the primary putt lipped out, the Texan inexplicably missed the faucet in for a double bogey six.
In doing so, Scheffler ended his streak of consecutive rounds below par at 28, which was a PGA Tour report.
He additionally snapped his 218-hole streak of no double bogies or worse. Extremely, it was simply Scheffler’s second double of the season.
The 27-year-old skipped final week’s Valspar Championship to rejuvenate after successful back-to-back PGA Tour occasions. Scheffler got here to Houston beardless however rested.
After his spherical, he hinted at what triggered the three-putt.
“I believe that’s why generally you see stuff like that occur on 18 — that’s psychological fatigue, that’s all that’s, only a lapse in judgment,” he mentioned. “I’m clearly a contact annoyed with how I completed, however total, I’m nonetheless in the midst of the match.”
“Felt like I hit a superb putt on the primary one — possibly went barely by the break so clearly it was a bit irritating hitting a superb putt and it not entering into. Second one I assume simply hit a little bit quick and didn’t see a spike mark there.”
Scheffler began his day with a bogey however turned his entrance 9 round, choosing up three birdies.
Nevertheless, issues obtained rocky for the World No. 1 golfer on the again 9. Scheffler dropped a shot on 11 however birdied 12. He misplaced one other shot on the par-4 14th.
“I believe the situations had been extraordinarily difficult. The wind was blowing very, very laborious, and the robust half was how gusty it was,” the 2022 Masters champ famous. “When you took a mean wind pace, it in all probability wouldn’t have been that loopy, however when it’s gusting from 10 to 30 all day, it makes every thing you’re doing on the market fairly difficult.”
Scheffler was No. 31 in strokes gained off the tee, No. 47 in strategy to the inexperienced and No. 55 in placing. He solely hit 61.5% of the fairways — his season common is 77%. Apparently, Scheffler leads the sector in strokes gained across the inexperienced, choosing up 3.557 photographs.
It’s been some time for the reason that 8-time PGA Tour winner confirmed any weak point like that.
However, this one slip-up isn’t a dealbreaker for Scheffler.
“My sport feels prefer it’s in a great place,” Scheffler mentioned. “The situations right this moment made it difficult with gusty winds coming from completely different instructions. When the wind’s extra constant, it may very well be blowing 25; it’s a bit simpler, however when it comes out and in prefer it was right this moment, it may be fairly difficult, particularly on the greens.”
Regardless of his placing woes on 18, the previous Texas Longhorn remains to be inside attain of the Houston Open title. He sits 4 photographs off the chief and defending champ, Tony Finau, who tied the course report with an 8-under 62.
Scheffler should push that ultimate putt out of his thoughts if a three-peat on the PGA Tour is in his playing cards.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. For extra golf protection, make sure to observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can even observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.