Confident Scheffler chasing fourth win in six starts after opening 62 at Travelers
cottie Scheffler plays his tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)
Scottie Scheffler fired an eagle and seven birdies in an eight-under 62 to grab a share of the lead in the Travelers Championship as he chases his fourth win in his last six starts.
The world number one leapfrogged Rory McIlroy at the top of the FedEx Cup standings thanks to wins in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the US PGA, and the Memorial Tournament.
He was also joint seventh in last week’s US Open without playing his best golf and insists he drew confidence from his performance at Oakmont.
“The way I swung it the first couple rounds was pretty poor,” Scheffler said of the US Open following an impressive opening round at TPC River Highlands.
“I mean, I was not getting the ball in play. I don't know if you saw much of it, but it wasn't very pretty.
“But I was very proud of the way I stayed in the tournament, and I still gave myself a chance to win.
“That gives me a lot of confidence going forward that I could -- especially on a golf course like Oakmont where you know you have to get the ball in play, and I wasn't able to do that in the beginning of the tournament.
“And to hang in there, flirt with the cut line on Friday, have a good finish to my round Friday, kind of bounce back, get myself back in the tournament to give myself an opportunity to win was I felt like pretty good. I gained some confidence from that.
“It's also just good reflection knowing that it's really important for me just to stay in it mentally, and I felt like last week was, oddly enough, as good as I've been mentally on the course throughout the season.”
McIlroy opened with a bogey-free 64 but ended the day tied for third with Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley, two shots behind Scheffler and Austin Eckroat.
“It was good,” McIlroy said. “I said yesterday, this is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe.
“You can give yourself plenty of chances for birdies, which Keegan and I did today.
“Overall, it was a good start to the tournament, and I think when you're in a two-ball like that and we can sort of feed off one another a little bit, too, that's nice, as well.”
He has his work cut out to beat Scheffler, who looks close to the form that brought him seven worldwide wins last year.
“I did a lot of good stuff,” said Scheffler, who was nine-under with three holes to go in challenging afternoon winds before dropping a shot after flying through the 17th green.
“I felt like the conditions were pretty challenging out there, especially late in the day. I was able to hole some nice putts, as well.”
Shane Lowry ended the day tied for 60th in the 71-man field after carding a two-over 72.
The Offaly man (38) made three birdies and five bogeys in a rollercoaster round, missing eight greens in regulation.
Leona shows form in Texas
At the KPMG Women’s PGA, Leona Maguire showed signs of a return to form when she opened with a level par 72 in Texas.
After missing her last four cuts, the Co. Cavan star was solid from tee to green and efficient with the putter at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.
She ended the day tied for 16th, just four strokes behind Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, who shot a 68 to lead by a shot from Australia’s Minjee Lee.
Kennedy fires sizzling 60
On the HotelPlanner Tour, Max Kennedy (23) planned a dip in the sea to cool off after scorching to a 10-under-par course record 60 to grab the lead in the Blot Play9 Golf in Brittany.
The Royal Dublin rookie (23) made six birdies and two eagles in a career-low round at Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André to lead by four strokes from England’s James Morrison.
“Yeah, very happy,” said 72nd-ranked Kennedy, who can take a massive leap this week in the race for 20 DP World Tour cards.
“Obviously, a very nice round. I didn't miss a whole lot of shots, and it was even nicer to save a good par on the last.
“It would have been nice to give myself a chance on the last for a 59, but still, I’ll take a 60,”
While Kilkenny’s Mark Power was joint fourth after a 66, Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy followed an eagle two at his first hole with a quintuple bogey ten at the next, the 11th, en route to an 84.
