Scottie Scheffler stated on several occasions that his game is in a “really good spot” going into the 105 thPGA Championship, at Oak Hill.
Scheffler backed his words of confidence on Thursday by carding a bogey free 3-under 67, which tied him for second with Canadian Corey Conners, only one stroke behind Bryson deChambeau’s pace.
The golf course was in the best condition we have seen all week. Scheffler commented that it was great to get around without any bogeys. If you limit your mistakes, then good things should happen, I suppose.
Scheffler has had a good year. Scheffler has already won two PGA Tour championships, the WM Phoenix Open and the Players Championship. In his 10 starts so far this year, he’s never finished lower than T-12. He also had a T-5 finish at the AT&T Byron Nelson, in Dallas, last week.
Scheffler started the round on the back nine and sank 15-foot birdie puts at the short par-4 holes 14 and the par-3 fifth. He also wedged 121 yards from 3 feet for his final birdie. 8.
Scheffler was not bothered by the delay in starting the tournament due to frost. He received a message that tee time would be moved back when he was still staying at his rental home.
“I showered, shaved, and did all of that.” “I basically went back to bed,” he said.
The weakness in his game has been his putter, especially in the Masters tournament in April. But that was not the case during the first round of the PGA Championship.
He said, “I made a lot good putts today.” “The more loose and free I can be, especially on greens, the better I usually am.”
Scheffler improved his scorecard by sinking a 4-foot par-putt on the fourth par-5 hole, after he threw away his teeshot.
“I’d hate to bogey one of the two par 5s around here, especially since there are only two.” He said, “That was a good momentum.”
Scheffler continued to build on his momentum, and went 7-for-7 scrambling.
Scheffler said that the Donald Ross design which was restored by Andrew Green after this championship’s last event here in 2013 played like a major. Perhaps more like a U.S. Open where hitting fairways and par are good scores.
He said, “I thought it would be a hard week at the start of the week. I’m glad it wasn’t only me who felt that way.”
DeChambeau made six birdies on his way to the lowest round of the day. He is the 2020 U.S. Open winner who joined LIV Golf last year for reportedly more than $100m.
He said, “It was a great round of golf in Oak Hill.” “As I looked at it all week, I thought, man, how is shooting under par even possible on some of these golf holes?”
The two-time PGA Championship champion and world No. Rory McIlroy, the world’s No.3, overcame an erratic start, hitting only two fairways in his major championship round.
McIlroy confessed, “I’m struggling with my swing.” It’s a messy course, so I am just trying to make the pars.”
The defending PGA champion Justin Thomas only managed one birdie on a 2-over 72, while his good friend Jordan Spieth who is attempting to complete his career Grand Slam in this week’s tournament, shot a 3-over 73. This was still better than the world’s No. The world No. 1 shot a 6-over-76 after making five bogeys over a stretch of six holes. It was his best score this year.
Rahm stated, “I think I will have a good chance if I manage to make a low putt tomorrow and come close to making it to Sunday.”
By: Adam Schupak
Title: 2023 PGA Championship: Scottie Scheffler shoots 67, his first bogey-free round at a major
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/05/18/2023-pga-championship-scottie-scheffler-shoots-67/
Published Date: Thu, 18 May 2023 22:06:48 +0000
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