Scheffler’s Memorial Tournament campaign stalls with first-round double bogey

Scottie Scheffler entered the 2026 Memorial Tournament with the objective of securing a third straight victory at the event, but his opening round concluded with a score of 1-over par, leaving him tied for 33rd place. The world number one finished six shots adrift of the leader after a round marked by inconsistency, particularly in the final nine holes where he shot 3-over par.

The pivotal moment of the round occurred on the 16th hole, following a bogey on the 14th. Scheffler pulled his ball left of the green, where an unfortunate bounce sent it into the water. The error resulted in a double bogey and prompted visible distress from the golfer, who was observed venting his frustrations to his caddie.

Scheffler admitted to feeling uncertain about his execution during the incident. "I never thought it was in the water," he told reporters, adding, "I don't know what to do." He expressed continued confusion and disappointment after the round, noting the difficulty of misjudging shots that should have been successful.

"I just don't really know what I'm supposed to do there outside of trying to hit a good shot, and then it's frustrating when it doesn't work out," Scheffler said. He highlighted the mental toll of such errors, stating, "It can be very frustrating sometimes when you feel like you're hitting good shots and then you're going to the drop zone."

Despite the setback, Scheffler managed to recover immediately, carding a birdie on the 17th hole. The result stands in stark contrast to his previous performances at the tournament; he finished 5-under par after the first round in 2024 and 2-under par in 2025, winning both editions.

While the six-shot deficit to the lead may appear substantial, reports suggest Scheffler remains in contention, leveraging his reputation for strong finishes in the final rounds. The incident was reported by Yahoo Sports, with the original coverage appearing on USA TODAY Sports.