Devastatingly Behind Scottie Scheffler Stamps Golf as ‘Mental Torture Chamber’ While U.S. Open Dream Faces Struggles

One might have hoped the current No. 1 would dominate the field at Pinehurst. The reality, however, was far from it, as Scottie Scheffler dished out his worst performance so far in 2024 to finish at T42 after the third day of play. The golfer didn’t shy away from speaking up about the same, even going so far as to highlight how much of a mental torture the game and the event are!

The 27-year-old was spotted in an interview after the third round on Saturday, mentioning the same. He pointed out how “the game of golf is a mental torture chamber at times, especially the U.S. Open,” disappointedly, while alluding to his own case over the three rounds at the major. He had dished out 71-74-71, totaling a figure of 6-over par overall.

The 2024 Masters champ also highlighted how much of a challenge the course No. 2 at Pinehurst was as well. He admitted, “Yeah, I thought it was challenging. The first 27 holes, I was in the native area way too much of the times. Everything felt really tough. Now that I was able to hit a lot more fairways today, it maybe felt a touch easier to me.” The golfer said so while alluding to the first day’s play as well as the back nine on Friday, which he started from at 7:29 A.M. at the 10th tee. He carded a total of 5 bogeys and two birdies during the same time while dishing out just three bogeys and two birdies the rest of the holes and the third round.

Even though he was able to better his gameplay slightly, Scottie Scheffler couldn’t help but dub his own performance as average. “Wouldn’t be using me as a bearing for what’s good right now,” divulged the current No. 1 in the OWGR, “Pretty mediocre at best right now.” The golfer had dished out figures around the field average for the major on the first two rounds (73.23 and 72.90), as he had registered 71 and 74, respectively, at 5-over par after Friday.

It’s not too surprising to see the golfer dub the whole tournament as ‘mentally exhausting.’ Even Ludvig Aberg, the pro who was at the top of the scoreboard after Day 2, had mentioned how much of a mentally demanding course it is at Pinehurst.

Ludvig Aberg shares the same thought as Scottie Scheffler

“It’s a demanding golf course,” admitted Aberg, “not only physically but mentally, as well. It demands a lot of discipline and patience coming into these greens.” He then went ahead to divulge the mindset he had while appearing at his first U.S. Open, as he stated, “I think I just have to play with a lot of acceptance. I have to make sure that it’s not going to be perfect all the time.” 

The Swede even went ahead to point out how everyone in the field would find the course difficult at one point or another (just like Scottie Scheffler did); “Most likely all players in the field are going to have a struggle at some point during the round, and whenever that shows up, it’s just one of them.” However, he had built up a solution for the same as he said, “All I try to do is execute the golf shots as good as I can, and then if I do so, that’s great. But if not, we just deal with it, try to get back into position as soon as we can, and try to get the ball in the hole.” 

It seems the 24-year-old has found a bit more than success with his remedy, as he was spotted at T5 after the third round of play at the ongoing major. But it remains to be seen if Scheffler will be able to display a better version of himself during the final day’s play at Pinehurst No. 2.