Scottie Scheffler’s under-par streak ends, Finau’s course record highlight 2024 Houston Open second round takeaways

Scheffler admits it was a lapse in judgment. Perhaps the result of some mental fatigue from a taxing two weeks in Florida.

Nevertheless, it was something he knows was a mistake, and he’ll have to make up for it this weekend as he pursues his third straight victory.

The World No. 1 three-putted the par-4 18th hole from 7 feet, making double bogey to shoot an even-par 70. It’s the first round this season for Scheffler that hasn’t been under par. And it happened in the blink of an eye.

Scheffler’s approach shot into the 18th hole found the sand, and he nearly holed his bunker shot, lipping out. Then on his par putt, it also missed just right and went a couple feet past the hole. He quickly went to tap it in, but that putt lipped out – three-putt double on the last.

“You never really know what’s going to be up there around the cup on 18,” Scheffler said. “Yeah, just hit something and knocked the second one offline. Felt like I hit a good putt on the first one, maybe went just barely through the break so obviously it was a bit frustrating hitting a good putt and it not going in. Second one I guess just hit a little fast and didn’t see a spike mark there.”

Scheffler had five birdies Friday, but three bogeys and a double offset a stellar performance in the conditions. However, for the first time since switching putters at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he has a poor day on the greens.

Scheffler lost more than two strokes putting, taking 28 swipes with the flat stick. However, he gained nearly 2.5 strokes around the greens to offset the mistakes on them.

But he will start this weekend four shots behind Finau, sitting T-4 at 5 under alongside Stephan Jaeger, Chad Ramey, Taylor Moore, Akshay Bhatia and Joe Highsmith.

“I think mentally doing my best to stay in it,” Scheffler said. “I think that’s why sometimes you see stuff like that happen on 18, that’s mental fatigue, that’s really all that is, just a lapse in judgment. Yeah, so I did my best to get some rest last week. I feel rested right now. I’m obviously a touch frustrated with how I finished, but overall I’m still in the middle of the tournament.”