Scottie Scheffler opened the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club alongside Sam Burns on Thursday. The American duo faced Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im in the opening fourballs match.
The contest remained close for much of the afternoon. The Internationals eventually moved 1-up before the Americans responded late to secure a crucial point for the United States.
The result gave the U.S. an early boost in the opening session. However, Scheffler’s performance remained below the level expected from the world No. 1, continuing a pattern that has appeared during several recent team events.
Scottie Scheffler’s Dad Points to Pressure at Team Events
Scottie Scheffler’s father, Scott Scheffler, believes his son needs to relax and approach team events as he would a normal round of golf. Rex Hoggard shared the observation while discussing Scheffler’s opening-round performance on the Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav.
Hoggard also suggested that Sam Burns’ strong start may have helped create that opportunity for Scheffler.
“When you look at the way Sam started that round of golf it’s almost as if he was trying to give Scottie Scheffler a reason to relax,” Hoggard said.
He then explained what Scott Scheffler told him while following the world No. 1 around Medinah.
“You and I were walking with Scott Scheffler, Scottie’s Dad, and he mentioned it. He said Scottie needs to relax, he needs to go and pretend this is a normal round of golf. I think when he puts the flag on either here or at the Ryder Cup, there is so much pressure that comes with that,” Hoggard said.
The comment came after Scheffler produced a performance that fell short of his usual standard. Hoggard noted that the world No. 1 was around the middle of the group in strokes gained total.
Scheffler’s iron play lacked its usual precision, while his driving and putting also did not reach his normal level. His father’s observation offers one possible explanation, but it remains his personal assessment rather than an established reason for the performance.
Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns Secure Crucial Win
Despite Scheffler’s struggles, he and Sam Burns found a way to defeat Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im 1-up.
The Americans started quickly by birdieing the opening four holes. The Internationals then responded with four consecutive birdies to level the match before eventually moving ahead.
Burns delivered one of the biggest shots of the match on the 14th hole. He hit an 8-iron from 172 yards to 2 feet, helping the Americans regain momentum.
Scheffler later produced the decisive moment on the 18th. His bunker shot helped secure par and close out the 1-up victory.
Scheffler credited Burns for changing the match with his approach on the 14th.
“I was basically out of the hole after my second shot. Sam was essentially was playing two-on-one there,” Scheffler said. “So for him to step up there and hit a really nice shot, I think you can definitely feel the momentum. He was put in a tough spot there, and he responded the way he knows how.”
The victory also ended a difficult run for the pair in team competitions. Scheffler and Burns entered Thursday with a 0-3-1 record as Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup partners.
Burns described the result as a relief after their previous results.
“We certainly haven’t had the results that we’ve hoped for,” Burns said. “I feel like at times in the past we’ve played pretty well and just gotten beat. So it probably just was a little bit of a sigh of relief to finally get a point and just kind of let that out.”
The Americans will continue their Presidents Cup campaign Friday, with Scheffler and Burns scheduled to face Corey Conners and Nick Taylor.
Scottie Scheffler’s Dad Pinpoints His Son’s Team Event Problem