Unstoppable Scottie rolls to Pinehurst
Scheffler's B game wins fifth of the year at Memorial; McIlroy touts real 'progress' toward PIF deal
Scottie Scheffler adds winning at Jack’s place to his win at Arnie’s (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Scottie Scheffler heads to Pinehurst No. 2 this week a bigger favorite to win the U.S. Open than anyone since Tiger Woods’ most dominating days.
And who’s going to stop him?
Unless the Louisville Metro Police Department plans to make a cameo in the Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina, it’s difficult to see any of his fellow golfers getting in the way after Scheffler closed out another impressive victory at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday.
With apologies to Collin Morikawa — who put up a good fight and must be wondering what it’s going to take for him to win this year — nobody is really stepping up. It’s not an easy task.
Not even Jack Nicklaus’ stout Muirfield Village Golf Club could take him down —though it did provoke Scheffler into a 2-over 74 on Sunday.
Scheffler didn’t have his best stuff in the final round yet still prevailed, making a clutch 16-foot par putt on the 16th green when he needed it most and navigating the second-hardest course on the PGA Tour this year (behind Augusta National, where Scheffler won the Masters) in 8-under on the week.
Short of Officer Bryan Gillis, can anything get in Scheffler’s way?
Well, Scheffler himself might have a couple of hurdles, one of which is he’s never seen Pinehurst No. 2 in person. That’s not typically a deal-breaker but it could make for some issues getting acquainted with Donald Ross’ diabolical turtle-backed greens.
Scheffler is also coming into a major having just played a stressful, difficult tournament. Of course, he also did win the Bay Hill-TPC Sawgrass combo back in March, so perhaps that’s not a big problem, either.
We’re searching — kind of like the rest of the PGA Tour.