World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler continues to pursue his Scottie Scheffler US Open major title hopes despite a difficult start during the first two rounds of this year’s US Open at Oakmont. Entering the tournament as the pre-event favorite due to recent victories—including his impressive PGA Championship win and successful defense at the Memorial Tournament—Scheffler encountered an unexpectedly slow beginning in the third major of the season.
Scheffler’s opening rounds featured a 73 followed by a one-over 71, marked by a mix of four birdies and five bogeys on Friday. This marks the first time since last year’s US Open that he has started with consecutive over-par scores at a major, signaling a test to his consistency and ability amid challenging conditions.
Struggles with Key Shots Test Scheffler’s Resolve
During the second round, Scheffler battled difficulties with his driver and approach shots, managing to find only six fairways off the tee and hitting seven greens in regulation. Despite these setbacks, Scheffler expressed pride in his ability to persevere and reach the weekend rounds.
“I feel like I battled really hard,”
Scheffler remarked after the round.
“It’s challenging out there. I was not getting the ball in the correct spots and paying the price for it. Felt like me getting away with a one over today wasn’t all that bad – it could have been a lot worse.”
—Scottie Scheffler
He added that not playing to his usual standards was frustrating mentally, describing the day as one of his toughest battles so far. Scheffler credited his caddie, Ted Scott, for helping him manage the difficulties, especially during the final holes.
“Any time you’re not hitting it the way or playing up to my expectations, I think it’s frustrating. Mentally this was as tough as I’ve battled for the whole day.”
—Scottie Scheffler
“There was a lot of stuff going on out there that was not going in my favour necessarily and I felt like Teddy [Ted Scott, caddie] and I did a great job of battling, especially coming down the stretch. Overall, definitely not out of the tournament.”
—Scottie Scheffler
Expert Analysis Highlights Areas for Improvement
Golf analysts observing the tournament noted that even elite players encounter difficulties on the demanding US Open course. Former major winner Rich Beem, commentating for Sky Sports, emphasized the course’s challenge and Scheffler’s struggle with ball striking and shot execution.
Beem pointed out,
“This golf course is intimidating for a lot of players and it could be for the world No 1, but he understands the nuances of how to play hard golf courses really well. It wouldn’t surprise me to watch him come out tomorrow and shoot something under par.”
—Rich Beem
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley offered a more critical view, stating that Scheffler’s current performance was below his usual standards, particularly with driving accuracy.
“Very simply, he’s not playing very well. There’s no part of his game that’s anywhere near the standards that he displays week in and week out on the PGA Tour, particularly his driving. He’s missing so many fairways and you can’t do that around Oakmont.”
—Paul McGinley
Sam Burns Emerges as a Strong Contender alongside Scheffler
Meanwhile, Scheffler’s 2023 Ryder Cup teammate Sam Burns moved up the leaderboard with an impressive second-round 65, featuring six birdies and only one bogey. Burns opened quickly with a 31 on the front nine and mounted a strong recovery after an early bogey, leaving him at three under par heading into the weekend.
Burns reflected on the difficulty of scoring at Oakmont and emphasized the need to take the tournament one shot at a time.
“I didn’t really think of much of a score,”
Burns said.
“The golf course is really too difficult to try to figure out what’s a good score and what’s not. You’re really just shot by shot and trying to play each hole the best you can.”
—Sam Burns
He also highlighted the importance of rest and preparation for the remaining rounds.
“There’s obviously a lot of golf left on a very tough golf course, so I think really this afternoon just getting rest and getting ready.”
—Sam Burns
“I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’s a 72-hole golf tournament, and if you can get a round under par out here, no matter if it’s one under, you’ll take it.”
—Sam Burns
Outlook for Scheffler’s Major Title Ambitions
Despite his early challenges, Scottie Scheffler’s belief in his capacity to compete for the US Open remains intact. His resilience in grappling with the Oakmont course and working with his caddie offers hope that he can recover and contend as the tournament progresses. Observers expect that with adjustments and strong mental focus, Scheffler could still post low scores in the coming rounds.
Both experts and fellow competitors understand the uniqueness and severity of the US Open conditions, underlining how difficult it is for even top-ranked golfers to dominate here. The weekend promises intense competition as Scheffler and others seek to seize control of one of golf’s most prestigious titles.
Live coverage of the US Open continues throughout the weekend on Sky Sports Golf and NOW streaming, where fans can follow every moment of this gripping major championship.