15 June 2024 , 23:10
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Scottie Scheffler has admitted he may well begin to skip the tournament the week prior to a major championship, having endured a tough three days at the U.S. Open.
Scheffler has announced himself as a dominant figure in 2024, seemingly competing in a league of his own to open a lengthy gap at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). In his last five starts, the American has three wins to his name, including the Masters title in April.
His two other outings saw him finish in tied-second at the Charles Schwab Challenge earlier this month, as well as a finishing in a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship - all whilst being arrested prior to his second round in Kentucky.
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This week however things have not gone to plan for Scheffler, who scrambled his way into the weekend by missing the cut by a single shot on Friday. He then failed to kick on 24 hours later, carding a one-over-par 71 on moving day, his third-straight round over-par at Pinehurst No. 2.
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Heading into the tournament Scheffler won his third title of the season by clinching the penultimate Signature Event of the PGA Tour season at the Memorial Tournament a week earlier. Moving forward however, the world No. 1 admitted he may have to start re-thinking his schedule heading into the majors.
"I think in terms of prep work for a week that I know is going to be as tough as this, I'm leaning, going forward, to maybe not playing the week before," he said in North Carolina following the end of his third round. "I think especially going around Jack's place (Muirfield Village), which is going to be pretty close.
Scottie Scheffler has struggled on the greens (Getty Images)"I did most of my damage under-par there at the beginning of the week, so... I think going into the major championships, especially the ones we know are going to be really challenging, it may be in my best interest not to play the week before. Like I said, that's stuff for me to figure out later in the year. That's some of my thoughts sitting around watching the cut."
The long-standing event at Muirfield Village was moved from its usual spot on the schedule, having been placed the week before the third major event of the campaign by Jay Monahan and co this year. Despite his recent incredible form, Scheffler's previous struggles with the putter have been well-documented.
And this kink in his game appeared to have returned at Pinehurst. "I'm having a lot of trouble reading these greens," he said. "I had a lot of putts today where I felt like I hit it really good. I looked up and they were not going the way I thought they were going to go.
"Really my swing today felt a lot better than it did yesterday. I felt like the last 27 holes I've played, I've hit it really nice, but I just haven't been able to hit it quite close enough, which is difficult around this course. I haven't been able to hole the putts the last few today."