Power keeps rampant Scheffler and PGA spot in his sights in Dallas
Backing up his nine-win 2024 season was never going to be easy, but despite signs to the contrary this season, the world number one insisted he's not 'anxious or eager' to get his first win of 2025.
'I wouldn't say anxious or eager,' said Scheffler, who took advantage of preferred lies and made five birdies and a spectacular eagle after a three-wood to four feet at the ninth to turn in 29 before picking up three birdies coming home.
'I got off to a good start today, and there are three more days of the tournament. I'm just focused on going home, getting some rest, and getting ready for tomorrow.'
Scheffler's iron play has been far below its best this year.
He's had five top ten finishes in eight starts but after putting the green jacket on Rory McIlroy at Augusta National, he's added next week's Truist Championship in Philadelphia to his schedule before heading to Charlotte for the PGA Championship.
'Yeah, feel good,' Scheffler said. 'I played nice today. Had the good front nine; was able to put together a solid back nine as well. Overall very pleased with the results of today.'
Seamus Power had to birdie his last two holes to keep a rampant Scheffler in his sights and his hopes of qualifying for the PGA Championship alive.
Power is 65th in the PGA Championship points list and must remain inside the top 70 after this week to clinch his place at Quail Hollow.
The West Waterford man followed an early bogey at the third with an eagle three at the fifth before ending a run of pars with birdies at the 17th and 18th.
Power's three-under 68 left him tied for 59th behind Scheffler, whose 61 gave him a two-shot lead over the Philippines' Rico Hoey and Colombia's Jhonattan Vegas.
Meanwhile, Douglas' Sara Byrne made six birdies, but four bogeys and two double bogeys saw her open with a two-over 74 in the Epson Tour's Reliance Matrix Championship in Las Vegas.
She was tied for 81st, nine shots off the lead as she bids to win one of ten LPGA cards at the end of the season.
Byrne is 81st in the Race for the Card standings, with two cuts made from her first four starts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
38 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Rory McIlroy six shots off RBC Canadian Open pace after bogey-bogey finish in Toronto
The world number two and reigning Masters champion began on the back nine and got off to a slow start, dropping shots at the 12th and 17th after missing both greens. He turned in one-over as he two-putted the par-five 18th for birdie, then made it three birdies in a row as he two-putted again at the par-five first before knocking in an 11-footer at the second. He had to make a seven-footer for par at the third but after making a 12-footer to avoid a dropped shot at the 228-yard seventh, he moved the ball just five feet from greenside rough at the par-four eighth and made bogey to drop back to level par. He then plugged his tee shot in a fairway bunker and after splashing out to the fairway, he couldn't get up and down from 164 yards and pencilled in another bogey. It was a rusty performance from the world number two, who hasn't played since he finished 47th, 14 shots behind Scottie Scheffler in the PGA Championship more than two weeks ago. His 71 left him provisionally tied for 51st, six shots behind early clubhouse leader Taylor Pendrith, who shot 65 to lead by a shot from Rico Hoey, Sam Burns, Nick Taylor and Thomas Detry.
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy snubbed by Donald Trump ahead of Canadian Open
Rory McIlroy was overlooked by US President Donald Trump who praised Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler as the current cream of the crop in the golfing world. An avid golfer himself, Trump hit the links with US Open champ DeChambeau at his course in Washington, D. C. Although DeChambeau's bids at the Masters and PGA Championship fell short, he still holds the World No. 10 position. He triumphed recently at LIV South Korea, marking his first win since his victory over McIlroy at last year's US Open, which also represented his third title on the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf series. In the wake of their round of golf in the nation's capital last Sunday, Trump was all compliments for DeChambeau. Trump enthused: "He is a great guy, a great golfer. Probably the No. 1 now, him and Scottie [Scheffler] are rated at the top. We play golf a lot together. It is not a very pleasant experience for me. I always consider myself a reasonably long hitter. Then I play with him. I go home and my wife says, 'Are you as long as Bryson?' I said, 'Yeah, I am pretty close'. It is not close.", reports Belfast Live. Curiously, Trump didn't mention McIlroy when talking about top golfers, even though the Northern Irishman achieved the prestigious career Grand Slam with his Masters victory in April. McIlroy came out ahead of DeChambeau during their rounds at Augusta. The five-time major winner experienced a sweet comeback, having been pipped to the post by DeChambeau at the previous year's US Open. The LIV golfer is gearing up to defend his crown this month as the season's third major swings back to Oakmont. While Trump's allegiance may be up in the air, it's widely believed that DeChambeau is the frontrunner for his support. Their camaraderie dates back to DeChambeau's appearance on stage after Trump clinched his second presidential term. DeChambeau has even featured Trump on his YouTube channel for a round of golf, amassing 15 million views since its premiere last July. Speaking to the Times earlier this year, DeChambeau shared: "I've known him for more than eight years and we've developed a friendship." He elaborated on their rapport, saying, "It's been fun to get to know who he truly is rather than what people think and see of him. That's what we were trying to do when we had him on 'Break 50'." The golfer emphasised the non-political nature of Trump's appearance, stating, "We didn't make it political, we made it about golf and entertainment and raised a quarter of a million for charity. I try to keep space, but if he wants to play golf, we'll play golf. He's good with people he trusts."
Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy tournament snub backfires as he pays the price
Scottie Scheffler has surged to the top of the PGA Tour's earnings list, overtaking Rory McIlroy after a stunning victory at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday. The win pocketed Scheffler a hefty $4million, boosting his 2025 earnings to an eye-watering $14.6 million, just ahead of McIlroy's $14 million. The American golfer has been on fire this season, participating in 12 events and earning over $1m in five of them. His latest prize from the Memorial Tournament is his largest yet, eclipsing the $3.4m he won at the PGA Championship and significantly outstripping the $1.8m from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the $1m from the Masters. Fellow competitor Sepp Straka, who finished just behind Scheffler at Muirfield Village, lauded his competitive spirit: "He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Straka observed. "The guy is relentless." Scheffler's recent triumph also marks a remarkable streak, with back-to-back wins at the Memorial - a feat only Tiger Woods had managed before - highlighting his exceptional form. His dominance extends to last month's win at Quail Hollow, cementing his status as the golfer everyone is keeping their eyes on, reports the Express. Scheffler's triumph marks his fifth title in a $20m event and his third win in four starts this season, matching McIlroy for the most victories in 2025. McIlroy's strategic decision to skip Muirfield Village - reportedly to focus on the remaining two majors - appears to have backfired, both financially and competitively. The Memorial, known for its elite field and hefty prize money, hosted eight of the world's top 10 players, making it one of the year's key stages for prestige, points, and earnings. McIlroy's absence allowed 28 year old Scheffler to take the spotlight unopposed, surpassing his rival in the rankings while solidifying his grip on the world No.1 spot. Meanwhile, McIlroy has been open about his plan to arrange his schedule around the majors, aiming to be in top form as each tournament begins. After finally clinching the elusive Masters title in April, many expected the 36 year old to dominate. However, his performance since Augusta has been inconsistent, leading to rumours about whether momentum is waning at a crucial point. In contrast, Scheffler continues to ascend. The battle between Scheffler and McIlroy is far from over, with the U.S. Open and The Open Championship still to come. However, the current narrative is clear: one is riding a wave of consistent excellence, while the other pins his hopes on his long game - in every sense - delivering results at the critical moments.
