NBC
On Saturday at the US Open, Scottie Scheffler proved that he doesn’t even need his putter to do the incredible on a golf course.
Just as he was running out of steam, falling seven short of leader Rickie Fowler in the third round, Scheffler stood over his approach in the 17th minute.
I played the 515-yard par-4 as Los Angeles Country Club’s toughest hole all week about half a stroke above par, and Scheffler had made a bogey there on Friday.
But none of this means anything to World No. 1.
From 196 yards, Scheffler’s approach drove to the front left corner of the green, kicked back onto the playing surface and fired straight into the bottom of the cup for a deuce.
While the LACC had a much quieter Saturday night with a late finish to the third round, the two huge stands behind the 17th green still turned wild. Scheffler’s Ted Scott wagon clearly wasn’t ready for the eagle as the two shared a bit of an awkward chest bump/high celebration as Scheffler headed in to recover the ball.
But you know what they say: There are no celebrations on the scorecard.
He also made up for it when he birdied playing partner Cameron Smith on the 18th hole a few minutes later. Birdies were only third and fourth all day.
The LACC’s final three-hole finish – all 500-yard par-4s – is the longest three-hole finish in US Open history, despite being the only triple in the top four without a par-5. While he bogeyed in 558 16 yards, Scheffler played the remaining 1,006 yards on just five strikeouts. Here is a summary:
- 17, 515 yards, par 4: Tee shot hit 320 yards to the fairway, 196 yards to the hole; The second shot hit 196 yards into the hole.
- 18, 491 yards, ft. 4: Tee shot hit 312 yards on the fairway, 186 yards to the hole; The second shot hit 188 yards, 22’3 from the hole. The putt putt 22’3″ in the hole.
So much for Scheffler’s rotten putter.
A three-under finish on his last two holes pushed Scheffler from a late Sunday prospect to a seven-under point and spot in the penultimate pairing in the final round.