Scheffler's optimistic Open play.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler optimistic about British Open chances despite seven missed birdie putts.
Anonymous
Scottie Scheffler carded a bogey-free 68 in his second round at the British Open — but the world No. 1 knows he left plenty of shots out on the course. Scheffler missed seven birdie putts from 15 feet or less, four of them inside 10 feet, according to Yahoo Sports. Yet he stayed upbeat, saying the quality of his ball-striking gives him real hope of winning back the claret jug.
Scheffler is chasing history at Royal Birkdale. The last player to retain the British Open title was Padraig Harrington in 2008, according to Click Orlando. Back-to-back wins are rare, but Scheffler's tee-to-green game looks sharp enough to give him a real shot.
Seven Missed Putts That Could Have Changed Everything
Scheffler's 68 was solid, but it could have been much lower. He missed seven birdie putts from 15 feet or closer, including four from inside 10 feet, according to Yahoo Sports. Those are putts a player of his caliber expects to make. Had he converted even half of them, he could be leading the tournament outright.
Still, Scheffler kept a positive tone. "I did a lot of good things," he said, according to News4Jax. He believes the putter will come around. His tee-to-green play has been close to flawless, which means the birdies could start dropping in later rounds.
Former Army Captain Makes the Cut on British Open Debut
One of the weekend's feel-good stories belongs to Marcus Plunkett. He left the U.S. Army as a captain to chase a golf career and now plays on the Asian Tour, according to AJC. Making the cut at the British Open was his first big goal — and he achieved it in his debut at Birkdale.
Plunkett was at 2-over par with seven holes left in his second round when his chances looked shaky, according to Houston Chronicle. He dug in, stayed calm under pressure, and got the job done. His background as a military transportation officer appears to have given him the mental edge to handle the moment.
David Duval's British Open Misery Continues With Six-Hole Collapse
David Duval's troubled history at the British Open got worse at Birkdale. The former world No. 1 has made just one cut in his last 13 appearances at the event, according to Twin Cities Business Radio. A brutal six-hole stretch of 6-over par ended any hope he had of playing the weekend.
Duval won the Open Championship back in 2001, but the major has not been kind to him since. Six shots dropped over six holes is a collapse that even experienced players struggle to recover from. His latest exit extends one of the more painful streaks in modern major championship golf.
Can Scheffler Join Harrington as a Back-to-Back Champion?
The last player to win back-to-back British Opens was Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008, according to Click Orlando. Retaining a major is one of golf's hardest feats. Scheffler knows the history and knows what it would mean to pull it off.
His ball-striking at Royal Birkdale has been close to clinic-level, according to Your Valley. If the putter warms up even slightly over the weekend, Scheffler could become just the second player in nearly two decades to hold back-to-back claret jugs. The pieces are there — he just needs the short game to match the long game.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
7
Articles
6
Reach
7
A
AnonymousAuthor