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Scotty Scheffler misses a putt during the second round of the 2024 US Open in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
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Many have waxed lyrical about the strength of Pinehurst no. 2 In its 117-year history, but Friday the North Carolina course earned its biggest accolade: It did. Scotty Scheffler Look human.
After months of wielding a vice-like grip over the game of golf with an immovable cool, the world No. 1’s unflinching brilliance finally spilled over in the second round. 124th US Open On Friday.
Scheffler’s run of 168 rounds with at least one birdie skidded off the sides of Pinehurst’s ferociously firm and fast greens as he worked his way to a four-over-par 74, putting together an opening 71.
“I felt like I did a great job yesterday. I just couldn’t hit putts today,” Scheffler told reporters after his round.
“This golf course can be unpredictable at times and maybe that’s gotten the better of me the last couple of days. I’ll just sit back and figure out where we’re going the last few days.
How much those two days hurt Scheffler’s hopes of a sixth win in nine starts was a secondary consideration: At five over overall, the heavy favorite came to the clubhouse and admitted he didn’t expect to make it back to the final 36.
By the skin of his teeth, Scheffler missed the weekend in a major event for the first time since 2022, as the high-scoring day cut line fell to five-over par, passing the 27-year-old and several other players. Other relief stars.
This made for a morning of anxious anticipation.
Starting off the 10th tee, Scheffler threw his putter in the air in excitement after his par-saving attempt on the 15th hole and rolled at the death, resigning him to his first bogey of the day.
When his opening drive on the 17th veered left, Scheffler muttered to himself in second person: “Maybe I’ve never seen you hit it, bad golf shot.”
After a back-and-forth on the next tee box, he slammed his driver into the ground and took off his tee.
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Scheffler was uncharacteristically frustrated during the second round.
Despite those errors, The The reigning Masters champion Generally played well throughout, but struggled on and around the green, his woes peaking during a disastrous double bogey on the fifth hole. His third shot chipped onto the green from his native area as his ball took a slant and rolled back to his feet.
Scheffler’s subsequent attempts left him further from the hole, past the flag and the other side of the green. There were still a few grains of salt to rub in the wound, as Scheffler’s putt came up four inches short of escaping with a bogey.
Incredibly, playing partner and last month PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele Enduring almost identical misfortune for his own double bogey, his ball bounced back to him before going over the cup on the next attempt.
After returning to the clubhouse, world no. 2 put his own frustrations into words.
“It pissed me off,” he told reporters after shooting a one-under 69 to move into ninth overall.
Although Schauffele was within striking distance, Schauffele found himself 10 shots behind Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise and continues to impress in his first US Open appearance and his third career major tour. Second on his Masters debut In April.
“It’s not something I always think about, but sometimes I have to stop for a moment and think how lucky I am to be able to do this at this level,” world No. 6 Aberg told reporters.
“It’s definitely a pinch-moment for me playing these matches, playing with guys I’ve been watching on TV for a long time.”
Belgium’s Thomas Dedry, as well as American duo Bryson DeCambeau and Patrick Cantlay, lead the chasing pack, with Rory McIlroy – a 10-year wait for his fifth major crown – a stroke behind the trio.
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Aberg is one of golf’s fastest rising stars.
Many big names including two of the world’s top-10 missed the cut line. Victor Hovland and Max Homa both finished six under par, while three-time champion Tiger Woods finished one shot behind.
Woods competed in the A Special Exemption After failing to qualify for a major for the first time in his career, the 48-year-old showed his old brilliance when he shot 74 and 73.
The 15-time major champion came into the weekend at the Masters in April but missed the cut at subsequent majors after losing at the PGA Championship last month.
He is eligible to play in next month’s Open Championship in Scotland because he is the previous winner, and when asked by CNN’s Patrick Snell if he could have played in his last US Open, Woods cast doubt on his future at both Opens.
“As for my last Open Championship or the US Open Championship, I don’t know what it was. It may or may not be,” Woods told Snell.
“I felt like my bowling and my bowling was good enough to be in the tournament, I wasn’t,” he added.
“It’s frustrating because I’m not here to win the weekend.”
