Scheffler Stumbles as Straka Takes One-Shot Lead into Final Round at Hero World Challenge
Scottie Scheffler's bid for a third straight win at Albany Golf Club came crashing down, with the world's number one golfer stumbling over his final three holes to trail Sepp Straka by just one shot heading into Sunday's finale. The Austrian, meanwhile, seized on the par-fives to surge into a commanding lead, thanks in part to two eagles and two birdies.
Scheffler had been cruising along, five straight pars after a triple bogey at 15, until he faced off against his own backswing for an awkward stance on 16. The result was a bogey that left him nine under par for the round, still one shot behind Straka's 18-under 198.
Straka, who had trailed Scheffler by three shots through five holes and two at the halfway point, played some of the best golf of his life to set up his chance for victory. The Austrian chipped in for eagle on the par-5 sixth and holed a 3-wood that landed perfectly in front of the green at the par-5 ninth.
Despite struggling over his final three holes – bogey on 16, par-bogey finish – Scheffler remained remarkably composed. "It definitely got it going quick," he said, reflecting on Straka's dominance. "It didn't look like he was going to miss a putt there for a little bit. But it's golf, it usually evens out a lot and I just tried to focus on my own game."
Straka, meanwhile, remained unfazed by the pressure. The Austrian's only par-4 birdied came at 7, where a tee moved back forced him to hit a wedge from the fairway. He took it on and sunk his putt to seven feet.
The final group will feature Straka and Scheffler going head-to-head in the last round of the Hero World Challenge. With Noren, Matsuyama, Spaun, and Clark lurking just three shots behind, Sunday's finish is shaping up to be an exciting conclusion to this star-studded event.
Scottie Scheffler's bid for a third straight win at Albany Golf Club came crashing down, with the world's number one golfer stumbling over his final three holes to trail Sepp Straka by just one shot heading into Sunday's finale. The Austrian, meanwhile, seized on the par-fives to surge into a commanding lead, thanks in part to two eagles and two birdies.
Scheffler had been cruising along, five straight pars after a triple bogey at 15, until he faced off against his own backswing for an awkward stance on 16. The result was a bogey that left him nine under par for the round, still one shot behind Straka's 18-under 198.
Straka, who had trailed Scheffler by three shots through five holes and two at the halfway point, played some of the best golf of his life to set up his chance for victory. The Austrian chipped in for eagle on the par-5 sixth and holed a 3-wood that landed perfectly in front of the green at the par-5 ninth.
Despite struggling over his final three holes – bogey on 16, par-bogey finish – Scheffler remained remarkably composed. "It definitely got it going quick," he said, reflecting on Straka's dominance. "It didn't look like he was going to miss a putt there for a little bit. But it's golf, it usually evens out a lot and I just tried to focus on my own game."
Straka, meanwhile, remained unfazed by the pressure. The Austrian's only par-4 birdied came at 7, where a tee moved back forced him to hit a wedge from the fairway. He took it on and sunk his putt to seven feet.
The final group will feature Straka and Scheffler going head-to-head in the last round of the Hero World Challenge. With Noren, Matsuyama, Spaun, and Clark lurking just three shots behind, Sunday's finish is shaping up to be an exciting conclusion to this star-studded event.
scheffler was cruising but then had a bit of a meltdown 
on the last few holes. straka played some insane golf tho, two eagles and two birdies on those par-fives? that's crazy 
. i think it's great that scheffler stayed calm despite his struggles, he can definitely bounce back from this. but straka is definitely in control now 
. the final group is gonna be so much fun to watch! 
Straka was on fire 
two eagles and two birdies ?! That guy's got skills 
But seriously, Scheffler still kept it cool after a crazy meltdown 
I feel bad for him, he had that one shot in the bag but just couldn't close it out 
The final round is gonna be EPIC 
. Dude, you're the world number one golfer and you can't even string together a decent round of golf? Straka put in the work and he deserves the win 
. Straka's got this! 
!! Straka totally took advantage of his backswing fail on 16 and now he's in the lead 
️! Scheffler tried to stay calm but you could tell he was getting frustrated 
. He still played well overall, but Straka just stepped up his game 
! Sepp Straka is on FIRE 
what a shot 3-wood 
! It's gonna be such an exciting conclusion to this event with those top contenders all jostling for that final spot 
I mean, it's not like Straka was born with a golf club in his hand or something... lol, no way he'd been playing that good the whole time and Scheffler was just getting lucky, right? 
It's all about how you spin it, but I think Straka had some crazy hot shots there, especially those eagles on 6 and 9. Scheffler's downfall is pretty obvious, his own game falling apart after that one bad hole... 
The guy's backswing looked all wonky and he bogeyed it. Talk about a momentum killer. And now Straka is taking one-shot lead into the final round... this should be good! 
gotta respect Straka for staying calm under all that heat 
️
. but still gotta respect how composed he stayed after that, you know? he's still gonna have to go give it his all tomorrow and try to take down straka 
anyway can't w8 2 sunday n see who wins 
but straka played out of his mind, two eagles and two birdies? that's insane! 
. Sometimes our plans don't go as expected and we gotta pivot. Scheffler could've let his frustration get the best of him, but instead he chose to focus on his own game and keep it moving forward 
. Straka's experience is a great lesson for all of us, that with a little bit of calmness and adaptability, we can overcome even the toughest challenges