Staff USA star blows Ryder Cup redemption probability on remaining gap after woeful week
Scottie Scheffler is the primary golfer on the earth for a purpose, and for 17 holes on Sunday he confirmed precisely why. But a clumsily-played 18th gap at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club price him his probability at Ryder Cup redemption, as Europe sealed a 16.5-11.5 win in Rome.
The 2022 Masters champion was left in tears on Saturday after an embarrassing foursomes defeat alongside Brooks Koepka. The famous person American duo had been thrashed 9&7 in a humbling loss to Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, with Scheffler seen crying and being consoled by his spouse, Merideth, shortly after.
With the American’s hopes on the brink going into Saturday afternoon, Scheffler was left on the bench for the fourballs as Zach Johnson’s crew mounted a fightback within the scorching Italian sunshine. He needed to wait till Sunday morning to get his probability at redemption.
And he didn’t have to attend lengthy, heading out first for a Titanic tussle with reigning Masters champ Jon Rahm. The Spaniard and Scheffler traded blows all through an epic match between two of one of the best golfers ever to grace the course.
Early on, Scheffler was haunted by but extra woes together with his putter at Rahm led by two after 5, however finally the 27-year-old discovered a groove after a horrible begin to the weekend, taking simply half some extent from his first three matches. From tee to inexperienced, he’s one of the best participant on the planet and delivered one more ball placing clinic.
Rahm had been in sensational type all through the week, biting off the largest challenges and dealing with down Americas titans. Rory McIlroy’s 4 factors was one of the best efficiency of the week, however Rahm did a lot of the soiled work.
Yet Scheffler had him on the again foot in an all-time-classic matchplay duel, successful the 14th and fifteenth to take the lead with the end line in sight. Holes 16 and 17 had been safely navigated in halves, and the 18th – the American’s nemesis all weekend – was all that remained.
And immediately, Sheffler’s dependable swing with driver in hand abandoned him. A wild hack from the tee field, 600-plus yards again from the pin, ended up vast proper, opening the door for Rahm to grab one more very important half-point. From the tough, Scheffler once more leaked his method shot to the best, catching a nasty lie within the cabbage patch that overlooks the inexperienced.
And when his pitch shot got here out scorching, bounding over the inexperienced and into the tough, Rahm took benefit. Having reached the perimeter together with his second shot, he lagged his eagle strive inside snug vary to depart Scheffler in want of a chip-in to carry onto what might need been a treasured level.
And as his effort died on the low facet, so did a large probability to use enormous strain to the opposite European gamers on the course. What might need occurred had Scheffler performed only one good shot on his remaining gap of a depressing week, we’ll by no means know. Because Europe confirmed indicators of cracking beneath the immense pressure of the Sunday singles; as a substitute it was Scheffler who broke down and the match was halved. His quest for redemption should wait two years.