Scheffler not out of the Open, but seven shots back, is he in it?

OAKMONT, Pa. — Two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament, Scottie Scheffler was a dominating winner and became the understandable favorite for the US Open. But golf is not like other sports.  

In the Super Bowl, you worry about one other team. The same thing in the NBA finals. Golf, however, there are dozens of opponents, including the most irritating, yourself. Every swing can create a problem or exacerbate your previous problem.

The odds makers and most of the golf people made Scheffler the choice to win the 125th Open, and halfway through the tournament, that remains a possibility, but not a probability.

After 36 holes on a historic Oakmont Country Club Course just a few miles east of Pittsburgh, that is proving to be as difficult as expected. Scheffler, number one in the world rankings, trailed surprising leader Sam Burns by seven shots.

Burns, Friday, had the tournament’s low round so far, a 5-under 65, and at 137 is a shot in front of first-round leader J.J. Spaun.

The biggest worry for Scheffler, trying to win The Open for the first time, to add to his two Masters and one PGA Championship, may not be the number of strokes between him and the lead, but the number of golfers.

He trails such stars as two-time Open Champion and three-time PGA Championship winner, Brooks Koepka; Adam Scott, also a Masters champion; and three other major titlists—Jason Day, Jon Rahm, and Keegan Bradley.

“I was not getting the ball in the correct spots,” said Scheffler, “and paying the price for it. Felt like me getting away with 1-over today wasn’t all that bad. It could have been a lot worse.”

The weather also could have been worse. Throughout the grey, humid afternoon, warning signs were posted to advise fans to take cover because of impending thunderstorms. 

The downpour arrived after Scheffler finished. He was able to get to the range in an attempt to relocate whatever was lost in his game, but numerous tough luck competitors got drenched as they completed their last few holes.

“Any time you’re not hitting it the way or playing up to my expectations I think it’s frustrating,” said Scheffler.

He spent a few minutes in that stretch of holes, which are called the church pews, because with strips of grass among the bunkers, there is a resemblance to a house of worship. They are great to look at, but not to play from.

Scheffler was in no danger of missing the cut, but he alluded to doing so. 

“Overall, definitely not out of the tournament,” said Scheffler. “Today was, I think, with the way I was hitting it, was easily a day I could have been going home, and battled pretty hard to stay in there.”

Which is what great golfers always do. As much as you can be one shot away from trouble, you’re similarly one swing away from success.  

“I’m four-over. We’ll see what the lead is after Friday, but around this golf course I don’t think by any means I’m out of the tournament.”

We’ll find out in the next two rounds.