Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 golfer, began his Saturday with a string of challenging holes, a stark contrast to his Friday performance.
After an off-course incident that led to his shocking arrest, Scheffler managed to finish Friday nine-under par through two rounds.
However, his start to the third round on Saturday was less forgiving, with a disastrous run on the second to fourth holes that saw him double bogey, bogey, and bogey consecutively.
Trouble on the Second Hole
Scheffler’s troubles began on the second hole.
His tee shot landed in a fairway bunker, and his attempt to escape the sand only worsened his position, as the ball ended up in deep rough.
His third shot failed to clear the thick grass, and he was forced to take a fourth shot that overshot the green.
Two putts later, Scheffler recorded a double bogey, marking the beginning of a rough stretch.
Frustration Continues on the Third Hole
Hoping to rebound on the third hole, Scheffler faced more frustration. His six-foot putt for par narrowly missed, leading to a tap-in for bogey.
This miss added to his mounting struggles and set the tone for the next hole.
The Fourth Hole Disaster
The fourth hole was particularly disastrous for Scheffler. His tee shot veered sharply left, bounced short of the gallery, rolled through the crowd, past the cart path, and ended up under a fence in the penalty area.
Forced to take a drop, Scheffler found himself 60 feet from the hole.
Unfortunately, his chip shot came up short, his next attempt went past the hole, and he ultimately had to settle for another bogey after a ten-foot putt.
A Difficult Round Overall
Despite these setbacks, Scheffler completed the third round with a score of two-over 73, dropping him to seven-under for the tournament and moving him from fourth place to a tie for 24th.
This marked the end of his impressive streak of 42 consecutive rounds of par or better, which had been ongoing since last year’s Tour Championship.
Scheffler Reflects on His Struggles
Reflecting on his performance, Scheffler acknowledged the impact of the previous day’s events. “I definitely did not feel like myself today,” he admitted. “Yesterday happened, and I did my best to recover and come out to compete.
This morning was not my usual routine for a round. At the end of the day, I came out hoping to have a good round but I wasn’t able to get it done, which was frustrating.”
Legal Troubles and Public Scrutiny
Scheffler’s on-course struggles were compounded by legal troubles off the course.
The Masters champion was arrested and charged with felony second-degree assault of a police officer, along with three other non-felony charges.
His lawyer has stated that Scheffler plans to plead not guilty if the charges are not dropped, maintaining that his client “did nothing wrong.”
Controversy Surrounding the Arrest
The circumstances of Scheffler’s arrest added to the controversy.
The Mayor of Louisville revealed that the officer allegedly dragged by Scheffler’s vehicle did not have his body camera activated to record the incident.
This revelation has raised questions about the validity of the charges and the evidence against Scheffler.
Moving Forward
As Scheffler navigates the legal and competitive challenges he faces, the golf world watches closely. His ability to recover and refocus will be critical in the coming rounds and tournaments.
For now, the focus remains on overcoming the immediate hurdles and returning to the form that has made him the world’s top golfer.
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