AUSTIN, Texas – Scottie Scheffler couldn’t get the picture out of his head. Sitting on the runway watching the Ryder Cup with his father and watching European John Poulter bury a putt after a putt defeated the Americans.
Then it was time in 2012 that he played the Junior Ryder Cup at Olympia Fields in Chicago while the big boys were at a battle at nearby Medinah. But Scheffler was on his way home to Texas on Sunday and at the airport watching as Europe faced a major fight. Poulter was once again leading the way.
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Those scenes sat there for Scheffler Saturday morning like a carrot as he prepared to play the wily veteran. I can beat this guy he was thinking of – and he did it in style with seven birdies helping him reach 5 and 4.
Before he could catch his breath he was back out at Austin Country Club – a place he was unfamiliar with for former Texas Longhorn University – who played against the new breed of European superstar Jon Rahm.
This is the year of the Ryder Cup and there is no doubt that US captain Steve Stricker would have taken care of his 3 and 1 outings of Rahm. It wasn’t just the truth that won – that’s how he won. Scheffler put up eight birdies and when Rahm came after him with his own birdies down the field the Texan just matched them.
“I played really good golf. I think I kept things soft, and I got some early instructions and made sure I kept pressure on those guys and made them feel like they had to do something special to hit me, which I didn’t. it was possible for them to do it, ”Scheffler said.
Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Award as PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year last season. He famously shot at 59 during the FedExCup Playoffs and while he has yet to win a TOUR, many people have long said that that is just time for the 24-year.
He made a choice not to be intimidated by any situation on Saturday and plans to do the same when he comes up against another veteran Matt Kuchar in Sunday’s semi-final. There is no doubt that he has the lion’s share of public support and rides the energy as far as he can.
“This is the situation I want to be in at the weekend,” Scheffler said. “I didn’t want to lose any games and I have another big enemy in the morning. I’m looking forward to getting on a course with him.”
Kuchar showed grit and guile coming from behind to beat Jordan Spieth on the 18th hole in the round of 16 and then scored a final from Brian Harman in the quarters. The 2013 champion was also in second place the last time the tournament was held in 2019 and sits behind just Tiger Woods for overall winners.
The 42-year-old knows all the tricks of the game-play trade and will prove a strong obstacle to Scheffler’s dreams. A former U.S. Amateur winner and a veteran of Ryder Cup teams and President, Kuchar is looking to join Woods, Ogilvy and Jason Day as multiple winners. And he would be the oldest winner if he went through to the cup but he says his feet are not dead yet.
“I can’t tell you how good I’m feeling right now. I feel like I’m still sailing, ”Kuchar said. “There is a high level of intensity and emergence, to make a 10-footer on the final one to win the game, I feel amazing. Definitely a little easier tonight doing it kind of 5 times than it was last night doing it after 7. So get a full night’s rest and hope a couple have a good game tomorrow. “
On the other side of the draw Billy Horschel will meet Frenchman Victor Perez. Horschel came back from the dead to defeat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff when the Englishman fired a tee shot out of bounds. Now former veteran FedExCup has a chance to add another big title to the resume.
As a five-time TOUR winner he is no stranger to wins – but the last one came in 2018. And although he has a FedExCup title under his belt he has yet to win a WGC event. He recently had a chance to win at WGC – The Concession’s Working Day Competition before finishing second place at Collin Morikawa.
“Nothing is changing. I know what tomorrow means. I know it’s no different than the last round, ”said Horschel. “I’m not going to put pressure on him now, and I’m not going to worry about him. I’m just going to play some golf and see where my game is and hope it’s good enough and I’ll play well enough then I can move on and maybe hold a cup tomorrow. ”
As for Perez – he’s the wild card that brings back memories of another French Victor. In 2014 Jason Day had to beat Victor Dubuisson in the final in Tucson over extra holes as he continued to make rusty par saves from the desert. Perez was a student in the desert himself in those days – as part of the golf team at the University of New Mexico.