Smylie Kaufman has claimed that Scottie Scheffler hit perhaps the worst iron shot he has seen from the world number one on the 18th hole on Sunday at the 3M Open.
Scheffler’s extremely bizarre season continues. The 30-year-old registered his fifth second place finish of the season on the PGA Tour as he ended up as runner-up to Jackson Koivun in Minnesota.
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Scheffler can take a lot of positives from his performance over the weekend at TPC Twin Cities, as he posted rounds of 64 and 63 to end up three shots behind Koivun. The 21-year-old registered his first PGA Tour victory in only his third professional start.
However, once again, the four-time major champion was unable to take that final step and get across the line.
Smylie Kaufman shocked by Scottie Scheffler’s approach into the 72nd hole at the 3M Open
It seems that Smylie Kaufman believes that he had a real chance to put huge pressure on Koivun, who was several groups behind Scheffler.
Scheffler made a birdie on the 72nd hole after reaching the par five green in two. It ended up being a very good two-putt from the American.
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And speaking on The Smylie Show, Kaufman insisted that Scheffler should have given himself a much better look for eagle given that he put his tee shot in the perfect spot in the fairway.
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
“He was in position on 18, I think if we’re going to try and compare him to Tiger, Tiger would have hit that thing inside of 15 feet on 18. That was a horrendous golf shot in that situation,” he said.
“That is a spot that Scottie Scheffler dreams of and relishes being in, to have an opportunity to post a 62 if he would have made eagle. At least give yourself a good look for an eagle putt, and he hit it to what, 80 feet? I was like, man, in that spot, it just felt like it was one of the worst clutch iron swings I’ve ever seen him make, for how good of an iron player he is.
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“Trust me, I would have taken this iron shot. It’s not a comfortable iron shot by the way. You’re hitting over water the entire way. I’ve played that hole when you have it a touch back into the breeze, in between clubs, it can be a tricky shot.
“I just felt like that he was going to stuff something in there, so I was a little shocked by that.”
The shot on Sunday that really cost Scottie Scheffler at TPC Twin Cities
Koivun deserves enormous credit for almost taking the situation completely out of Scheffler’s hands.
There were not many moments on Sunday when it appeared that the youngster was in any danger of throwing the tournament away.
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Having said that, perhaps the shot that Scheffler will rue most was the birdie putt he missed on the 14th hole after a sublime approach shot.
Scheffler had the opportunity to go seven under par for the day with four holes to play in Blaine. Unfortunately, the putt from inside six feet lipped out and led to a par.
Had that putt dropped, perhaps Koivun would have felt the pressure a little sooner. As it is, Scheffler is still trying to put all of the pieces together to ensure that he secures a second win of the season.
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