Scottie Scheffler Trails by 2 in Tight Four-Way Tie; McIlroy 5 Back in Houston Open

HOUSTON (AP) — Before heading into the Masters, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy found themselves carrying umbrellas for part of their round on Thursday at the Houston Open due to gusty winds and persistent rainfall that slowed down play significantly.

Keith Mitchell secured a late eagle, while Ryan Gerard squandered an early advantage by closing with two bogeys. Both ended up at 5-under 65, sharing the lead with Alejandro Tosti and Taylor Pendrith as play had to be halted due to nightfall.

Scheffler wasn’t spectacular; he simply avoided mistakes, which is among his strongest traits. As the top-ranked golfer globally, he completed the round without any bogeys and included two lengthy birdies on the latter half of the course, resulting in a score of 67. This left him trailing by two strokes at the end.

Scheffler commented that conditions were quite challenging today due to the rain and wind, but he was glad to maintain a clean scorecard overall.

McIlroy, coming off his second victory of the year at The Players Championship two weeks ago, played in the morning and that was no picnic. The rain was steady as he stood on the 10th tee and it eventually stopped long enough for him to enjoy the end of his round.

He recorded two birdies (both achieved on par 5 holes), two bogeys, and 14 pars, resulting in a score of 70 which he characterized as "rather unremarkable."

Initially, I struggled to hit the center of the clubface for the first several holes," McIlroy stated. "But once the weather improved and conditions became more favorable, I felt my driving was quite good.

Tosti faced challenges during the Houston Open towards the end of last year. Additionally, he managed to play without any bogeys and secured birdies on each of the three par 5 holes at Memorial Park. On the other hand, Mitchell encountered his errors upfront with two bogeys within four holes but concluded strongly.

Until Pendrith encountered a bunker to his left near the green on the 18th hole and subsequently failed to sink a 10-foot par putt, he maintained sole possession of the lead. Meanwhile, Jackson Suber nearly tied with him at 65 but stumbled due to a four-putt double bogey on the final hole. His initial putt spanned an impressive distance of 70 feet, whereas each subsequent attempt came from just five feet out.

Then came Gerard, cruising at 7 under with just two more holes remaining, beginning with the par-5 eighth hole. However, his drive veered sharply to the right, forcing him to opt for a penalty drop. Adding to his troubles, his wedge from 124 yards out traveled an extra 50 feet past the pin. Despite these setbacks, he managed to salvage a bogey with two putts.

At the par-3 ninth hole, he found himself lodged against the rear edge of a sand trap and had to play away from the pin due to water guarding the opposite side, resulting in yet another bogey.

The initial score of 65 was quite good. However, the final result was disappointing.

I wouldn't be honest with you if I didn't say I'm somewhat disappointed," Gerard stated. "However, you really have to look at the bigger picture here. If someone told you that after the morning session you'd end up tied for first place, every player in the competition would jump at the chance right away, particularly considering how wet and blustery it was, changing direction now and then. It’s clear that the challenge out there was intense.

Moreover, the ground remained damp throughout the day, which led to favored stances from the shorter sections of grass. For Gerard specifically, the challenge lay in keeping himself dry.

I find umbrellas odd—I avoid them since they seem to tire out my arms," he explained. "And when I'm about to take a swing, using one makes me feel off-kilter. So instead, I opt for wearing a raincoat and focus on keeping my grip dry. My strategy then becomes selecting good targets and making strong swings toward them; afterward, whether success depends on factors like the slope, rainfall, or water splashes is beyond my control.

Super ended up with eight players finishing at 66, which included Rasmus Hojgaard. At some point, he shared the lead but then fell back after a double bogey. His round was alongside his Danish brother, Nicolai Hojgaard, who scored a 69.

Michael Kim and Ben Griffin started with a score of 70. They both currently rank just below the top 50 globally and aim to improve their standing enough to secure entry into the Masters. This tournament’s conclusion post-Houston Open will determine who makes it into the top 50.

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