World No 1 sitting outside the top 20 with one round to go
Åberg takes three-shot lead into final 18 holes at Sawgrass
There is a robotic element to Scottie Scheffler during periods of success that observing the world No 1 in times of adversity is far more intriguing. There is more – much more – to the American than meets the eye.
This is a golfer who was once reduced to tears after a Ryder Cup trouncing. While all charges were eventually dropped, the mere fact Scheffler found himself in a prison jumpsuit before a round at the 2024 US PGA was highly unusual. Last summer, he was filmed in long and histrionic discussion with his coach amid struggles at the US Open.
The rediscovering of some form in round three of the Players Championship did not meaningfully improve Scheffler’s mood. When asked whether he “found anything” during a late Thursday range session, the 29-year-old jabbed back. “Did I find anything? I think that would imply that I was lost, which is not the case,” Scheffler said. This was a needless riposte to a run-of-the-mill, mundane inquiry which is put to golfers all the time. Did something click, did a penny drop, did a swing thought emerge? There was no need for the snippiness. It did, however, depict a touchy golfer.
