Scottie Scheffler is once again leading the pack at Muirfield Village after an impressive performance on Friday.
Scheffler shot a 4-under 68, moving him to 9 under par and securing a three-shot lead at the midway point of the Memorial Tournament. He’s ahead of defending champion Viktor Hovland and Adam Hadwin.
Conditions in Dublin, Ohio, were challenging with gusty winds, but Scheffler managed to hit 13 greens, tied for second-most in the 73-player field. His round included an eagle at the par-5 15th hole, where he hit a 3-iron from 235 yards to 8 feet, and four birdies. His final birdie came at the par-4 closing hole, sinking a 12-footer.
“It was pretty windy out there,” Scheffler remarked. “I just tried to do my best to execute. [Caddie] Teddy [Scott] did a really good job of getting most of the winds right for the day, which is tough around this course, especially when the winds are up. With so many trees blocking the wind, it can come from unexpected directions.”
This marks the first time Scheffler has finished a round in the lead since winning the RBC Heritage, his fourth title in five starts. He tied for eighth at the PGA Championship, a tournament where his participation was briefly in doubt due to an arrest prior to the second round (charges were later dropped). Two weeks ago, he shared second place at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
“I try to forget those days [when I feel off], and I’m pretty fortunate right now that I can’t really remember,” Scheffler joked. “The only one I can really remember was Saturday at the PGA, but that was another caddie, so we’ll blame him for that (laughing).”
Other notable performances include Keegan Bradley and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who are tied for fourth at 5 under. Bezuidenhout shot the round of the day with a 67. Ludvig Åberg is another stroke back at 4 under, while Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, and Akshay Bhatia are all tied at 3 under. Unfortunately, Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark missed the cut.
With two rounds to go, fans are eager to see if Scheffler can maintain his lead and secure another title.
Source: Nbcsports
