Scottie Scheffler superlatives run dry amid RBC Heritage mastery

Scottie Scheffler continues to drag rabbits out of hats, producing magic not seen on the PGA Tour since prime Tiger Woods.

Scheffler signed for an 8-under 63 Saturday on the RBC Heritage, hovering up the leaderboard and into the lead. He carded his thirty ninth straight spherical at even-par or higher, the second-longest streak seen on tour since 1983. Solely Woods has bested that mark with 52 such rounds in 2000 and 2001, when he accomplished the famed ‘Tiger Slam’ by profitable 4 straight main championships.

Talking of majors, Scheffler arrived in Hilton Head “emotionally drained” after his historic win at Augusta Nationwide final week, and understandably so. As such, Scheffler maintained a low profile, practiced on the vary after his arrival Tuesday, and performed the again 9 throughout Wednesday’s pro-am. He then mentioned he would see the entrance 9 on Thursday morning and go from there.

He didn’t get off to an ideal begin on Thursday, making a double on the par-4 third gap. However he did salvage that mistake with two birdies on the entrance.

Photograph by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photographs

Scheffler closed his opening spherical with two birdies on 16 and 17 to shoot a 2-under 69. Then, on Friday, the two-time Masters winner carded a 5-under 66 to get into the combination, however nothing may examine to what Scheffler did Saturday.

“I felt like my ball-striking was actually good as we speak. Hit a whole lot of greens,” Scheffler mentioned after his masterful third spherical.

“I performed the par-5s effectively. The par-3s have been very difficult, and I performed them very well. Total, it was a superb effort. I am happy with my rating as we speak.”

Amazingly, Scheffler has not dropped a shot since that third gap early Thursday morning. However the world’s top-ranked participant is aware of that won’t persist by Sunday’s ultimate spherical.

“[Sunday] goes to be difficult,” Scheffler added.

“We’re going to get a special wind tomorrow, so the golf course will play fairly completely different. It’s one thing that we’ll modify to tonight, form of get in the suitable headspace. Exit tomorrow and take a look at our greatest to remain affected person and execute.”

Like his golf recreation, Scheffler’s mindset continues to amaze everybody within the golf world. His skill to remain affected person, stay targeted, and never lose sight of the duty at hand are simply additional the reason why Scheffler has acquired comparisons to Woods.

His feedback about his method going into Sunday exacerbates that time additional.

“We’ll see the place all the pieces shakes out. The blokes behind me nonetheless have some holes to play, however we’ll see; both method, I’ll be in a good place going into tomorrow,” Scheffler assessed.

“Simply seeking to exit and get off to a superb begin. On this golf course, you’ll be able to shoot some low scores when you’re hitting it effectively and inserting the ball in the suitable areas, in order that’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow.”

He appeared like a grasp tactician on Saturday, carving up Harbour City Golf Hyperlinks by placing his golf ball within the excellent locations. No surprise why he made eight birdies and 10 pars, making it look straightforward within the course of.

However Scheffler has made this irritating sport look so easy over the previous few months, and now he has an opportunity to do one thing that just one different individual has: win The Masters and the RBC Heritage in back-to-back weeks. Bernhard Langer did so in 1985.

Now, Scheffler has an incredible alternative to go from profitable a Inexperienced Jacket to a plaid one, additional asserting himself as the sport’s most dominant participant. He has the mentality to take action, too, and he certainly will enter the ultimate spherical with an enormous goal on his again.

But, different gamers will concern his presence, too, identical to all of these not named Tiger Woods all through the early 2000s.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Make sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.