‘Worst I’ve hit it in a couple years': Scottie Scheffler extends cut streak despite swing issues at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

DUBLIN, Ohio — There was a palpable tension as Scottie Scheffler navigated the back nine Friday, because for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t guaranteed a place on the weekend.

Scheffler sat 4-over par through 10 holes and was headed the wrong way. He made three consecutive bogeys at Muirfield Village, then parred the gettable par-5 11th. Suddenly, even-par golf the rest of the way would be required, and Scheffler felt terrible about his swing. Without a late flurry, Scheffler’s streak of 75 consecutive made cuts – the longest on the PGA TOUR – would end.

“I felt like I was going to shoot about 90 today,” he said.

Scheffler did three better, carding a trio of birdies over the next eight holes to keep himself around for the weekend and within striking distance of contention. Scheffler is attempting to join Tiger Woods as the only golfers to ever win three straight at the Memorial. His even-par 71 also avoided his first back-to-back over-par rounds since the U.S. Open nearly 12 months ago.

“That's maybe some of the worst I've hit it in a couple years out there and I still managed to shoot even par around a golf course that requires you to strike the ball really well,” said Scheffler, whose round also included a shanked bunker shot at the fifth.

It’s been a frustrating few days at Muirfield Village for the world No. 1. He has navigated Jack’s place excellently over his career. Before winning back-to-back titles, Scheffler notched back-to-back third-place finishes in 2021 and 2023 (Scheffler didn't play the Memorial in 2022). His worst finish came in his tournament debut, T22 in 2020.

Scheffler took solace in the closing stretch, calling out good iron swings at 14, 15 and 16 that buoyed him when he was teetering on the edge of an early exit. The putter cooperated, too. He holed a 22-foot birdie on No. 15 and a 40-foot birdie on No. 16 to give himself some cushion.

“This tournament was one that definitely could have got away from me, but right now I'm only nine shots back and still have a chance going into the weekend,” Scheffler said. “With the conditions the way they are, you never really know what's going to happen around this golf course and just getting inside the cut line you still have a chance.”

Scheffler holds the longest active made cut streak by a considerable margin. He will play his 76th consecutive weekend. Hideki Matsuyama holds the second-longest streak, with 25 made cuts in a row.

Several notable names were not able to turn it around in the same way. Jordan Spieth shot a gaudy 7-over 79 to drop all the way from 1-under to outside the cutline. The same goes for Andrew Novak, who began the day 1-under and also shot 79. Ben Griffin, who challenged Scheffler for last year’s title, shot 39 on the back nine to finish 7 over. Robert MacIntyre finished 7 over to miss his third cut of the year. Min Woo Lee played the last two holes in 3 over to miss the cut as well.