OAKMONT, Pa. — Even the best in the world have their moments. While it seems that Scottie Scheffler rarely misses the clubface with any shot he hits, he’s having a week at Oakmont Country Club where that is not going according to plan.
Scheffler was seen on the driving range after Friday’s second round—and posted by the USGA’s social media accounts—visibly frustrated as he tried to work out some issues in his game and seemingly taking it out on his longtime coach, Randy Smith.
While this sort of thing plays out more often than the public sees, it was somewhat jarring to witness for those who saw it live and via video.
Scottie grinding it out on the range with coach Randy Smith after a 71 on Friday. pic.twitter.com/esgJpHkCHq
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 13, 2025
Scheffler, the three-time major winner who came into the U.S. Open having won three of his last four starts, shot 70 on Saturday—the first time in seven U.S. Open rounds dating to last year at Pinehurst that he didn’t shoot over par.
“I would say in terms of a practice session after the round, that was pretty regular,” Scheffler said. “We’re just trying to figure stuff out out there. To be honest with you, yesterday we left the range, I felt like I didn’t figure anything out. Just one of those days where just the swing wasn’t there.
“Randy had some thoughts for me that definitely helped today, but I’m going to go hit a few more balls and see if we can figure something out. Yesterday for me to shoot 1 over was, I mean, pretty amazing, I felt like, with the spots I was hitting it and the way I was playing. I got up and down a lot. I made a lot of key putts, especially on the back nine.
“At one point I was maybe even outside the cut line yesterday, and so to battle back, not having my best stuff, to get in there and still have a chance to shoot even par—without the bogey on 9, I shoot even par. It was a pretty good day.”
Scheffler, who is at 214, 4 over par, recognizes he is only on the fringe of contention going into the final round. A lot would need to go right. And every week can’t be his—even if it has seemed that way of late.
“Today, once again, another battle,” Scheffler said. “It’s been three days of battling out there. Usually over the course of 72 holes you have a couple days where your swing feels pretty good, a couple days where maybe it’s off, and weeks where you win it’s maybe you have three or four days of good ball striking and holing some putts. And a week like this week I’ve had three days where I haven’t really had my swing, and I’ve been battling out there and still have a chance, albeit an outside chance, but still a chance.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as This May Not Be Scottie Scheffler’s Week, But He’s Still Battling at Oakmont.
