Scottie Scheffler made a triumphant return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge, showcasing his skill after a two-month hiatus. The reigning Open champion shot a sparkling 6-under 66 to blast up the leaderboard. This outstanding performance placed him in a five-way tie for the top position as the tournament tipped off Thursday in the Bahamas.
Scheffler’s performance was an affirmation of his talent to recover after a layoff as he enthusiastically sacrificed the course with his keen and laser accuracy. Over those four days, he played an astonishing 41 straight holes without making a bogey. An unfortunately placed chip on the 18th hole resulted in a crucial first bogey of the day. Reflecting on his round, Scheffler spoke about his re-entry into the game.
“I felt like I could have shot a good amount lower. There’s always a little bit of rust. Once you get into competition, I don’t really think about that stuff.” – Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler is tied atop the leaderboard with four other players. One of them is Akshay Bhatia, who was one of just two players to post a bogey-free round. Bhatia made headlines by holing a bunker shot for eagle on the reachable par-4 seventh, demonstrating his rising talent in the sport.
What’s more, local hero Jordan Spieth was given a sponsor exemption to this event. It was his first tournament back since the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He began play with an even-par 72. That leaves him trailing the frontrunners as he seeks to get back on track.
This was especially true for J.J. Spaun, the current U.S. Open champ, who really, really struggled on his opening round. He infamously bogeyed the 18th hole after finding himself in a fairway bunker. At the other end of the leaderboard, Sepp Straka made a run up the board with a no-bogey round.
Defending champion Wyndham Clark opened strong, blasting out to an astounding 7 under par. He stumbled at the par-5 15th, where a tee shot into the hazard produced an angry bogey. We saw the depth of his astonishing talent in the first half of the round. On the seventh hole, he holed a bunker shot for an eagle to boot!
Chris Gotterup and Robert MacIntyre, both competing in the tournament, shot scores of 74 and 73 respectively in their opening rounds. The competition is getting fierce out there! All eyes are on Scheffler and his fellow challengers, as they face off down the stretch for the championship in this crown jewel of golf.
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