Scottie Scheffler, the guy who usually walks fairways like he’s late for a very important, extremely boring meeting, has been battling a weird case of the “almost great”s this 2026 PGA Tour season. He kicked off the 3M Open looking like his usual self, a cool six-under 65. But then, the back nine of his second round decided to audition for a slapstick comedy.
Seriously, after getting to a promising nine-under for the whole dang tournament, TPC Twin Cities turned into a minor disaster movie starring our favorite stoic golfer. Scottie jammed this event into his schedule to avoid a long, boring layoff before the playoffs. Instead, it looks like he accidentally invited a whole convention of vexations.
And it wasn't just the wind playing devilish tricks or a sprinkler head deciding to reenact a scene from "Singin' in the Rain." The scorecard tells a tale of missed chances and what you or I might call "boneheaded mistakes." Our man, who usually lives in the penthouse suite of golf perfection, seemed to be slumming it on the golf course.
But the real cringefest happened on the 14th. The gap between what we expect from Scottie and what actually happened was wider than my uncle’s fairway drives. A double bogey, courtesy of an approach shot that had a bit too much swagger and ended up taking a very unwelcome dip in the water. Why, oh why, would he try to take on that flag, practically begging for trouble on the left, when playing it safe, smack dab in the middle of the green, has always worked like a charm? This was NOT the sensible Scottie we know.
The 17th offered a similar, though less aquatic, lament. Trying to stuff it close on a par-three, a classic "pin-chasing" move, resulted in a missed green and another bogey. It’s like a growing impatience has taken root. This desperate need for a second win this year, which is totally understandable, has apparently pushed Scottie into flirting with shot selections that abandon his usual cautious brilliance. It’s like he’s trying to outsmart destiny with a wild, reckless swing.
So, the story of Scheffler’s season, which has been a quiet hum of statistical greatness with a few near-misses, finds a slightly baffled, slightly sad echo at the 3M Open. His struggles aren't some deep, dark mystery of the golfing soul. They just look like a guy who’s understandably impatient for another win, but is going about it in a way that, ironically, pushes the prize further away.
Look, I get it. One win and ten top-fives is hardly cause for a national day of mourning, especially when his putting stroke has reached a level of wizardry we didn't think was possible. But when you compare it to the otherworldly brilliance he’s shown us recently, this current version of the world number one is a fascinating, if slightly depressing, study in how to underachieve by your own ridiculously high standards.