Scottie Scheffler lashes out after embarrassing shot during first PGA Tour event since Olympics victory
Scottie Scheffler experienced a moment of frustration that all golf fans will recognize during the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Thursday.
The world No. 1, playing his first tournament on the PGA Tour since winning Olympic gold in Paris, lost his cool despite posting a 4-66 lead at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
Four under par through 12, the Masters champion’s tee shot on the 13th found a bunker 185 yards from the pin. His second shot missed the green and suffered a similar sandy fate.
When Scheffler attempted to hit the ball out of the trap to the right of the green, he hit the ball over the pin and it came to rest 13 feet from the hole.
Despite his shot landing safely on the dance floor and giving him a good chance of a par save, the two-time major winner was less than impressed.
Scottie Scheffler had a moment of frustration during the FedEx St. Jude Championship
The world No. 1 was competing in his first PGA Tour event since winning Olympic gold in Paris
Scheffler slammed his club into the bunker before the ball could even land properly, then kicked the sand furiously to cover his tracks and shook his head in disgust.
As he emerged from the sand trap, he took one last swing at the ground with his club before walking away.
Scheffler ultimately missed the par putt and had to make bogey – his only dropped shot of the round.
However, he made another birdie on the par-five 16th hole to complete his 66 and go into Friday’s second round in a seven-way tie for fifth place.
Scheffler’s rare outburst came a day after the Olympian criticized the PGA Tour’s “dumb” playoff format.
When Scheffler arrived with a freshly won gold medal around his neck, he was confronted with the one trophy that had eluded him thus far in his illustrious career: the FedEx Cup.
The Masters champion was less than impressed with his attempt from the greenside bunker
“I’ve talked about it the last few years, I think it’s nonsense,” said Scheffler, who entered the past two Tour Championships at East Lake Golf Club at 10 under par — at least two strokes better than the rest of the field.
‘You can’t call it a season-long race and then let it depend on one tournament.
“Hypothetically, we get to East Lake and my neck hurts and it doesn’t heal like it did at the Players. I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to pull out of the last tournament? Is that really the race of the whole season? No, it is what it is.”
Scheffler, who has earned $36,148,691 in 2024 so far, will play alongside PGA Championship and Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele in the second round on Friday at 10:35 a.m. ET. The BMW Championship follows next week, followed by the PGA Tour season finale on Aug. 29.