Scottie Scheffler slams Club in bunker in rare outburst at St. Jude Championship

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, experienced a rare and relatable moment on the golf course during the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. On Thursday, with his score sitting comfortably at four under par, Scheffler encountered some unexpected trouble on the 13th hole.

The difficulty began with his tee shot, which found its way into a bunker 185 yards from the pin. His troubles didn’t end there; his second shot also missed the mark, landing in another sand trap, this time to the right of the green. Despite the challenging circumstances, Scheffler’s third shot managed to lift the ball out of the bunker and onto the green, settling about 13 feet from the hole. While most amateur golfers would have been pleased with this recovery, the standard is much higher for the world’s number one golfer. Clearly frustrated by the situation, Scheffler slammed his club into the sand as his ball landed on the green.
https://x.com/AndyRobertsGolf/status/1824187633909600530?t=CEcS-3pRLwrMwXE0GVB5Jw&s=19
The frustration carried over to his putting, as he missed the par putt and had to settle for a bogey. This marked his only bogey of the opening round. Scheffler, however, quickly regained his composure and completed the round with a score of four-under 66. His performance included 12 pars, five birdies, and just the one bogey, placing him in a seven-way tie for fifth place as the tournament headed into the second round on Friday.

Leading the pack was American golfer Chris Kirk, who delivered an impressive six-under 64 on Thursday to secure the top spot on the leaderboard. Scheffler, paired with fellow golfer Xander Schauffele, was scheduled to tee off for the second round at 10:35 a.m. ET on Friday.