Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda had a rough week – and they’re still making history
Don’t be crazy to bet on the world No. 1 Nelly Korda misses a cut. But if you it was necessary so that, this week is the time to do it, during the Evian Championship, the fourth of the five highlights in the LPGA calendar.
Elsewhere, Korda sounded tired heading into the scenic race, the Evian Resort in the French Alps. Like many players on the field, he was playing his second major game in three weeks and adjusting to a new time zone. “I try to prioritize sleep and rest,” he said. “A lot, definitely.”
Elsewhere, Korda’s record at Evian has been less than spectacular, with two top-10 finishes in nine games prior to this week. Asked Wednesday to describe his “relationship” with the place, Korda said, “I don’t know. It’s Evian. That’s all I’m going to say, is – I’ve hit some really good shots and I’ve hit some really bad spots and I’ve hit some bad spots and I’ve ended up in some good spots.” It’s definitely not a crying guarantee.
You can bet crazy too the rest world No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, missed the cut. But if you it was necessary so, this week may be the time to do it, during the Scottish Open, the fourth and final major event on the men’s calendar, the Open Championship.
The case against Scheffler was weaker than the case against Korda, but if you wanted to bet ammo, you’d quickly find out that Scheffler never showed his best stuff in the Tom Doak design at the Renaissance Club. That’s not to say Scheffler has felt the heat — before this week, he had two top-10 finishes and an MC at the event — but he wasn’t yet a world champion. “It’s a golf course I feel like I can play well on,” Scheffler said Friday. “I didn’t have a specific reason.”
Guess what? Those crazy badges would have come in.
It’s one of the weirdest Fridays in modern golf history, Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler both he went home early. Korda posted 74-69 to miss the Evian cut by one, marking his first cut of 34 at the start, a run of nearly two years; Scheffler posted a 68-72 to miss the Scottish Open twice, marking his first cut in 78 starts, a run spanning nearly four years. According to statistician Justin Ray, the double trunk-slam marked the first time since the 2006 inception of the Rolex Rankings men’s and women’s No. 1 who were both MC’s on the same day. Here’s the thing about the greats: Even if they weren’t that great, they still found ways to make history.
What went wrong? Korda did not speak to the media after his two rounds, but he was clearly undone Thursday when he played his first eight holes in one under and the last 10 in four over, and needed 34 putts. On Friday, he went back, not that far back. Faced with critical birdie attempts in the 8- to 10-foot range on 17 and 18, he left both putts short.
Scheffler spoke to reporters, following his three-bogey 72 on Friday. He did not play all that badly, he said; he just didn’t get close enough to give him a makable birdie try. “You shoot the same way,” he said.
Scheffler added that he hasn’t had much better luck. A tantrum here, an unfortunate roll off a slope there. On 8, his drive hit the divot hole. But that’s links golf. “This golf course can be difficult at times, there are humps and dunes out there,” he said. “I didn’t really feel like I played that bad.”
Scheffler won’t have to wait long for a chance to retool. The Open Championship starts in six days, at Royal Birkdale, on the north-west coast of England. Korda has a long time to lick his wounds. She has a week off and is back at it at the Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayshire.
Want another bet? The smart money is that both players will use those weeks to start new streaks.
