So it seems Scottie Scheffler could also be human in spite of everything.
The dominant world No.1 had a uncommon shocker within the opening spherical of the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Friday (AEST), carding a two-over 73 to finish his streak of 33 rounds with out taking pictures over par — and placing his exceptional run of cuts made below critical menace.
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Golf is tough… Even for the World No.1 | 01:35
This wasn’t the Scottie Scheffler who has proved near-untouchable at instances, and who got here into this week’s occasion at Tiger Woods-like odds of favouritism.
There have been 5 birdies however an error-riddled spherical additionally included a fluffed chip on the 18th gap that rolled again nearly to Scheffler’s ft — prompting a livid pissed off response not often seen from the world No.1.
“We didn’t see this coming,” one commentator remarked, with the following bogey adopted up by a double and one other bogey in Scheffler’s subsequent two holes.
It was Scheffler’s first over par in a spherical because the third spherical of the Vacationers Championship in June final yr.
He completed the spherical in tied 89th and 10 strokes behind in-form countryman Chris Gotterup, who surged to the early lead with a flawless eight-under 63 to be two forward of Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick (65).
Min Woo Lee was the most effective of the three Australians within the subject, carding a fair par 71 forward of Cam Davis (72) and Karl Villips (73).
The enduring Phoenix occasion, one of many best-attended occasions in world sport and famend for it’s get together ambiance, witnessed a surprising begin from rising American Gotterup, the winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii final month who rode a red-hot putter to an eight-under-par 63 that featured an eagle and 6 birdies.
He teed off on 10 at TPC Scottsdale and kickstarted his spherical with a 27-foot eagle putt from off the inexperienced on the thirteenth.
Gotterup added birdies at 14, 15 and 16 earlier than rolling in a 24-foot birdie at 18, selecting up a stroke on the third earlier than a remaining 27-foot birdie putt on the seventh.
“I really feel like I’m doing issues effectively and pondering by issues effectively, and I feel that’s an important factor,” Gotterup mentioned. “I wouldn’t say in the present day I drove it my finest. I putted nice in the present day, however I simply was in the best spot after I wanted to be.”
The 26-year-old from Maryland performed alongside Scheffler, who was visibly pissed off by a string of uncharacteristic errors in a two-over-par 73 that has left his streak of 65 straight made cuts in critical jeopardy.
Scheffler’s opening birdie was adopted by a bogey at 11, the place he was within the water off the tee. A birdie at 13 was adopted by one other bogey a 14, the place he once more pulled his tee shot.
Scheffler, a two-time Phoenix winner who gained his first begin of 2026 at La Quinta final month, was wanting steadier after birdies at 15 and 17.
However a botched chip that rolled again to his ft for a birdie at 18 had him rapping his membership in opposition to his thighs in irritation.
A 3-putt bogey on the first was adopted by a double-bogey on the second, the place he was unable to get better from a poor lie in a fairway bunker.
He clawed again a shot on the third however noticed one other poor chip spin again to him for a bogey on the eighth.
After his first over-par spherical since June Scheffler headed straight for the follow vary.
Gotterup was two strokes away from England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, whose “scrappy” begin didn’t cease him from scoring effectively early on the way in which to a six-under-par 65.
Fitzpatrick opened with back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 and strung collectively 5 birdies in a row from the thirteenth by the seventeenth.
He reached eight-under with a birdie on the third earlier than closing with back-to-back bogeys.
“It’s disappointing,” Fitzpatrick admitted of the bogey-bogey end. “I suppose the way in which you’ve obtained to take a look at it’s if I began bogey-bogey and also you end six-under you come off feeling like the best participant on this planet.
“You’ve obtained to attempt to reframe it there,” added Fitzpatrick, who was one stroke in entrance of a bunch of 4 gamers sharing third on five-under.
5-time major-winner Brooks Koepka, taking part in his second match since returning to the PGA Tour from the breakaway LIV Golf league, had a tricky day, carding 5 bogeys and one birdie in his four-over 75.