He had to move from 149 yards of rough to the tops his shoes and 67 yards above the water to the back pin on the third hole.
The following two traditional pars were equally terrifying, one at 45 feet and the second at 70 feet. They were played on greens with very little grass, to prevent the ball sliding. A gust could also send the ball 8 feet higher.
Scheffler met every challenge. Scheffler closed his round at Bay Hill with a bogey-free back 9 and an even-par 72 to win by one shot, his second victory on the PGA Tour within a month. He rose to No. He moved to No. 5 in the world.
Scheffler stated, “To be totally honest with you right now, I’m exhausted.” Scheffler said, “This course is an absolute beat-down trying not to play. “I’m glad I didn’t have any additional holes to play.
Viktor Hovland (74) missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the fringe of the 18th. Billy Horschel (75), missed a 30-foot birdie putt in the final group. Both were trying to force a playoff. They finished one shot behind Tyrrell Hatton (69) who finished an hour earlier.
Scheffler did not win the U.S. Open. It felt like one.
After a weekend of 76-76, Rory McIlroy stated that he felt “punched drunk”. It’s crazy golf. Good shots don’t always get rewarded. … It makes you feel like you aren’t playing as well as you should.
This round was the easiest at Bay Hill in over 40 years. There were only a few pars on 16th par 5 and 18th pars. Still, the average score was 75.48. Six players shot scores of 80 or more, and only four players broke par.
Gary Woodland had a great chance until he needed to take two shots to escape a difficult bunker lie. He made double bogey at the par-3 17th and finished the round with a birdie. He was two shots behind.
Woodland stated, “I’m glad that I’m off that course.” “Frustrating. I did a lot better than what the score indicated. It hurts right now, even though I can see many positives.
Scheffler has now won two PGA Tour titles in three of his last starts after he took home his first win at the Phoenix Open. He had to make birdies in that one, which was quite loud. Although it was difficult, this one was no less rewarding. Scheffler stated that, besides the par 5, “you’re trying just to make a par every other hole.”
Everyone was stressed. Scheffler was as tough as nails.
On the 15th, he was deep trouble in the pine straw behind a tree when he attempted to hit a punch hook on the fairway. He hit the ball into the rough and it bounced off the fairway. After that, he made a par-par 20-footer.
Scheffler was fortunate to catch a break on the par-5 16th when his drive got out of his hand and fell into a complication so awkward that it couldn’t be retrieved from the fairway. He had to lay up in order to not go into the water. He made wedge at 6 feet, and saved par.
Although not as dramatic, his final two holes were equally important.
He said, “It’s not a comfortable position to hit it to 50 yards and then try to two-putt with a lead.” “But I trusted myself and played conservatively the last two holes. Pars were sufficient.”
Horschel shot 40 on nine holes and never caught up. However, he did make a few par putts to have at least a chance at the finish. He shared the 54-hole lead in his group with Talor Gooch who finished 43.
Woodland was the one who suffered the most heartbreak, as he tried to win his first U.S. Open victory at Pebble Beach. He was steady all day and took the lead with a 6-iron shot, which he hit from a sandy lie, through the trees, onto the green at 16th where he made an impressive 25-foot eagle.
On the 17th, he missed a 5-foot putt and took two shots to escape a front bunker. He was able to find the left rough on the 18th, and he tied for fifth with Chris Kirk with a bogey.
Kirk was right there, with a chance of 5 under and a birdie at the 13th. For the first of two consecutive birdies, he three-putted 14th and finished with three pars to complete a 72.
Kirk won one of three spots at the British Open in St. Andrews as a consolation prize. Gooch recovered from his poor start by finishing in the top 10, with a back nine that was bogey-free, and earned his place in the Open.
To be eligible for St. Andrews, players had to finish in the top 10. Graeme McDowell looked poised to take the last spot, but he suffered a double bogey on his final three holes and bogey for a 76. This dropped him two spots from the top.
