01셰플러, 포섬 '불패 신화' 막을 내리다
세계 랭킹 1위 스코티 셰플러(미국)가 프레지던츠 컵 포섬(얼터네이트 샷) 경기에서 뜻밖의 쓴맛을 봤다. 이번 대회 전까지 포섬 경기에서 압도적인 강세를 보이며 '가우디(화려한)'라는 수식어가 붙을 정도로 완벽에 가까운 기록을 자랑했던 그였기에 충격은 더 컸다.
셰플러는 이번 대회 포섬 매치에서 파트너와 호흡을 맞추며 경기에 나섰으나, 상대팀의 견고한 플레이에 밀려 홀 다운 상황을 극복하지 못하고 패했다. 이로써 그는 프레지던츠 컵 포섬 무대에서 쌓아 올렸던 무패 행진에 종지부를 찍게 됐다.
이번 패배로 셰플러의 통산 프레지던츠 컵 포섬 전적은 기존의 무결점 상태에서 첫 패배를 기록하게 됐다. 미국 대표팀의 에이스이자 이번 대회 핵심 전력으로 기대를 모았던 그의 부진은 팀 전체의 포섬 세션 전략에도 적지 않은 영향을 미칠 것으로 보인다.
02Original (English) — PGA TOUR
MEDINAH, Ill. – There are ample legitimate ways to explain away Scottie Scheffler's latest loss.
Just as there have been nearly every time Scheffler has teed it up in Foursomes in his Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup career.
Statistically, Scheffler played well, one of the best performers of the day. He was anchored down by his teammate Sam Burns, who had a day he’d like to forget. Their opponents were sharp, too. The Canadian duo of Nick Taylor and Corey Conners far outperformed expectations, converting nervy putts throughout the back nine and creating heroics on the 18th hole to solidify their 1-up win.
It all sounds so familiar, because it is.
On Friday, Scheffler moved to 1-8-0 in his Foursomes career across the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. He’s undoubtedly played better than that record suggests, an unlucky byproduct of the vagaries of match play. Yet at some point the record becomes so gaudy that context is stripped away. The viable, unsustainable reasons it got to this point get lost in the narrative, even if they are repeating themselves.
Bill Parcells doesn’t need to address the U.S. team room for it to be said. You are what your record says you are. Scheffler’s isn’t kind.
In a day the Internationals dominated, the U.S. badly needed someone to stop the bleeding. Someone could keep the Americans from getting blanked 5-0 in Foursomes for the second time in as many Presidents Cups.
Scheffler, theoretically, is supposed to be that firewall. He wasn’t, and he hasn’t been. His overall record across team play is now 7-12-4. His Foursomes struggles account for most of that.
The cruel part is Scheffler was so close. It was just out of his hands at the end. Scheffler hit a solid approach at 18, leaving Burns an 18-foot birdie attempt from hole high. Make it and the Americans would eke out a tie and a second straight gritty result. A day earlier, the duo didn’t play their best but did enough to win 1-up. A tie under similar circumstances on Friday would have been acceptable – 1.5 points of a possible two points earned. But Burns’ putt lipped out, and now we’re here.
Where do we go next?
Does Captain Brandt Snedeker sit Scheffler in Saturday Foursomes? If not that extreme, do they try a different partner? Scheffler’s lone Foursomes win came with Russell Henley two years ago in Canada. Would they run that back? Henley struggled Friday, too, falling 3-down after six holes with Jacob Bridgeman in a match they could never get themselves into. Or do they run it back with Burns? It came down to a lip-out after all. But 1-8-0 is 1-8-0.
Scheffler hasn’t sat a session since Saturday afternoon at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Marco Simone, just after he lost 9 and 7 in Foursomes alongside Brooks Koepka. Scheffler is part of Saturday Four-ball, paired with Burns once more.
“There wasn't anything that kind of made me want to break them up. I feel like they're -- as I said from day one, they're best friends,” Snedeker said. “They play a ton of golf together. I want them both to feel comfortable and go out there and do what they do.”
When does it become uncomfortable? Is there a point when the losses erode the warm and fuzzy feelings? It’s a tricky situation. One where process and results may not necessarily align. Which do you chase? You’d like to believe in process, but these Presidents Cups aren’t played over an entire season, and the deserved outcome regularizes. Each of these players has at most 54 holes left.
At the beginning of the week, Snedeker was firm towards any narrative about Scheffler and his struggles in this event. “Scottie Scheffler is not going to be the reason we win or lose this Presidents Cup necessarily. It's going to have to be 12 people pitching in and doing their job.”
That remains true. Scheffler isn’t the reason the Americans are down 7-3 to the Internationals through two days. He won’t be the sole reason for any potential comeback, either.
But he must be a reason it turns around.
If not the world No. 1, four-time major winner and four-time reigning Player of the Year, who can you expect it to be?