SCOTTSDALE – Four years ago, Scottie Scheffler was nine shots off the lead in the WM Phoenix Open after two rounds and was winless in his PGA Tour career. Fast forward to Friday, Scheffler was seven shots off the lead after two rounds of the 2026 event, and now a 20-time PGA Tour winner.
On the Saturday of his first career win four years ago on this same stage, Scheffler posted a 9-under 62, jolting him up to a share of third place. This Saturday, he posted a 4-under 67, placing him tied for 16th at 8-under, five shots off Hideki Matsuyama’s lead.
“I did some good stuff out there,” Scheffler said. “(It) felt like I was close to doing some really nice stuff.”
Scheffler did most of his damage on the back nine this week. He has birdied the 10th, 13th and 15th holes every round this weekend.
Thursday’s 2-over 73 was an uncharacteristic performance from Scheffler. That pace had him missing the cut if he posted the same round Friday.
Viktor Hovland shot a 6-under 65 as he teed off around the same time as Scheffler. Hovland felt that the course did not really change from the previous two days.
“It was very similar, to be honest with you, just a few different hole locations,” Hovland said. “There was hardly any wind when we first teed off, and for the majority of the day there was hardly any wind. I felt like it was pretty gettable.”
Si Woo Kim had a different view of the course. Like Scheffler, Kim went 2-over 73 Thursday before rebounding with rounds of 62 and 66 Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Kim felt that the grass was wet Thursday, giving him tight lies, so he adjusted his swing to avoid chunking the ball, which did not yield good results.
“I feel like I’m going to chunk it, so I hit a lot of thin shots and didn’t get to my yardage,” Kim said. “That was really (the) struggle.”
If Scheffler, the current world No. 1 ranked golfer, is close to doing “really nice stuff” with a 4-under round, he could easily strike Sunday and win the tournament. Scheffler is coming off a win in his last start at the American Express, his only start of the year.
He has been dominant of late, more than doubling the Official World Golf Ranking points of No. 2 Rory McIlroy. In fact, McIlroy is closer to No. 21 Maverick McNealy than he is to Scheffler.
But Scheffler knows he has work to do.
“(I’m) going to need a special round,” he said. “I’ll be starting on the front nine tomorrow, so if I can get out there and make a few birdies on the harder nine and get some momentum going into the back, you never know what can happen.”
Scheffler had one birdie on the front nine on Saturday and two on Friday. If he gets a few birdies before the leaders tee off Sunday, he’ll be in position to do some damage. If he can post a low score that golfers will have to catch while he is done in the clubhouse, that will add pressure to those still on the course.
“I feel very comfortable where I am at and where my game is at,” Scheffler said. “(I’m) starting to see the ball start online.”
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