Scottie Scheffler, the world’s number one golfer and two-time Masters champion, stole the show at the Nelson tournament. In doing so, he broke the 36-hole record for the event! He made a strong statement, especially with his opening round of 61 on Thursday. His final score of 124 broke the long-standing record at the Nelson by two strokes. Though play was suspended due to inclement weather, Scheffler didn’t depart the course. Instead, he remained composed and took the opportunity to extend his dominant streak.
All of his artful use of the course was rewarded on Friday as he carded a bogey-free round. Starting his round on the back nine, Davis parred the first eight holes with impressive precision. Right before the suspension of play began, he went XXX XXX in with a huge jump—an eagle at the par-5 18th hole. His display placed him only one stroke short of Justin Thomas’ 36-hole PGA Tour record set in 2017. The precocious young golfer had his sights set on a historic accomplishment as he chased his first career PGA Tour victory. He already had a pretty good resume with second place at the Farmers Insurance Open in January.
That made for some tricky playing conditions given the amount of rain on the course and all day weather conditions. Scheffler noted, “There were some fairways that were pretty wet, but other than that, I think the golf course held up pretty well.” Rainy conditions provided a favorable test on the course, yet Scheffler’s overall game plan shined true, leading him to an impressive number of scoring opportunities.
As we headed into the last nine holes of the tournament, Scheffler shared some stories and what he remembered from previous tournaments. He expressed enthusiasm about being in contention as he stated, “It’s going to be a lot of fun to play here and have a chance to win.” More than just his willingness to battle, though, this incredible drive to compete exemplifies just how serious his focus is on winning.
She went on to watch play suspended with a few players still on course, including Scheffler. The resulting delay gave him a bit of unanticipated time to relax with his fellow competitors. He shared insight into his experience during this break: “So, we enjoyed some food, sat there, kind of hung out with some of the guys and didn’t do too much.” This camaraderie among golfers is common on the tour and often provides a much-needed respite from the pressures of competition.
Scheffler prepares for the rest of the tournament. To this end, he is constantly mindful of the disruptions to execution that changing circumstances on the course may create. He stated, “We’re on a golf course where you’ve got to make some birdies, and the conditions today were changing a good amount.” Recognizing these course dynamics is an admirable acceptance of course strategy, and it speaks to his thoughtful tactical approach to the game.
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