Scottie Scheffler rights the ship while Rory McIlroy survives roller-coaster round on Day 2 of Olympic golf

 

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – Scottie Scheffler made significant progress on Friday at Le Golf National, managing to “right the ship” after a challenging start to his round. Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, carded a 2-under-par 69 during the second round of the Olympic men’s golf competition, propelling him into a tie for 10th place. His performance was characterized by a resilient comeback after a troublesome front nine, which ultimately positioned him five strokes behind the leaders.

 

Scheffler’s round began with difficulty. On the par-5 seventh hole, he encountered a particularly challenging situation. His 268-yard drive landed in the thick rough on the right side of the fairway, a common problem on this hole due to the way water collects in that area. The deep, thick grass complicated his attempt to escape the rough with a sand wedge, resulting in a disappointing 14-foot advancement. Scheffler’s subsequent shots, advancing 84 yards and 99 yards respectively, did not significantly improve his situation. He ultimately two-putted from 22 feet, resulting in a double bogey 7 for the hole. This poor performance on the seventh contributed to a front nine score of 38.

 

Despite this early setback, Scheffler rebounded strongly on the back nine, shooting a 4-under-par 31. He expressed satisfaction with his recovery, noting that the strong finish allowed him to close the gap and regain momentum. “I’m proud of the back nine. Got myself back into it,” Scheffler commented. “I was pretty far back, so it was nice to string some good holes together and hole some putts. Definitely ride that momentum the next couple days.” His determination and strong finish were key to his improved standing, though he admitted that his aim was to lead the competition.

 

The 28-year-old golfer also reflected on his recent performance and mindset. He acknowledged that his attitude had been less than ideal in the preceding days, which impacted his play. Scheffler described a moment of frustration at the seventh hole, where his failure to manage the rough effectively highlighted his internal struggle with patience. He recognized that a crucial part of succeeding on this course was maintaining composure and avoiding the urge to force shots. “I think that’s the internal battle you have of staying patient,” he said. “I know if I stay patient around this golf course and play well, I can shoot a low score. It’s just a matter of if I start freaking out and start forcing things, you’re going to get in trouble really fast.”

 

To help with his focus and patience, Scheffler turned to his caddie, Ted Scott. Scheffler confessed that he was struggling with reading the greens and sought Scott’s assistance. “I looked at Teddy and was like, ‘I cannot read these greens right now, I don’t know what it is,’” Scheffler admitted. Scott assisted with reading putts during the back nine, which contributed to Scheffler’s improved performance. “He started reading putts with me on the back nine, and I rolled a nice one in there on 10,” Scheffler said. “The way I was feeling, I wasn’t really going to disagree with what he was saying. It’s like, ‘Yeah, man, you just tell me what to do here and I’ll oblige.’”

 

In contrast, Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 3 golfer, also faced challenges during his round on Friday. McIlroy, who is tied for 13th place at 5 under par, struggled with a double bogey on the par-4 seventh hole. His round, which included an eagle, four birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, was marked by a series of mistakes. “Sort of similar story to yesterday,” McIlroy said, reflecting on his round. “Making the good swings and making enough birdies and another eagle today. But yeah, just offset by a few too many mistakes over the first couple days.” McIlroy’s opening round score was a 68, making his current standing less favorable.

 

McIlroy, representing Team Ireland alongside Shane Lowry, noted that he was surprised by the softer course conditions at Le Golf National this year. The softer conditions were a stark contrast to the firm, challenging conditions during the 2018 Ryder Cup, which he had previously experienced. “If you would have asked me five or six years ago, I’d have said yes,” McIlroy said regarding the softer conditions. “But I’ve really started to enjoy those firmer, drier conditions. With a bit of drier weather over the next couple days, Sunday might have a little bit of bite to it.”

 

As the competition progresses, both Scheffler and McIlroy will need to adapt to the course conditions and their own game challenges to achieve their goals in the upcoming rounds.