Scottie Scheffler proves he’s human after all with blunder every player has suffered at some point

Scottie Scheffler’s bid for Olympic gold hit a stumbling block during his second round at Le Golf National on Friday. The top-ranked golfer, who entered the tournament with high expectations, struggled right from the start, culminating in a disastrous performance at the seventh hole.

Scheffler, typically proficient off the tee, found his drive buried in the deep rough, only locating the ball with the help of fellow pro Rory McIlroy. Despite a challenging lie, he attempted to reach the green but made little progress, resulting in visible frustration and a tense exchange with his caddie, Ted Scott. Golf Channel commentator Brad Faxon noted, “I think the divot went further than the ball.” A tricky third shot led to a less-than-ideal fourth, and Scheffler’s long bogey putt slipped past the hole, resulting in a double-bogey six and pushing him out of medal contention.

Scheffler fell back to two-under for the tournament, trailing nine shots behind leader Hideki Matsuyama and clubhouse leader Xander Schauffele. Although birdies at the 10th and 11th holes improved his score to four-under, he remains five shots outside the medal positions.

Schauffele, Scheffler’s Team USA colleague, has been exceptional over the past three months, winning both the PGA Championship and The Open. He is now well-positioned to secure his second Olympic gold medal, having won in Tokyo three years ago.