Signature Scroll: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy unexpectedly sweat cutline; J.T. Poston surges out of nowhere

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Hello from balmy Dublin, Ohio. It was sweaty in more ways than one on Friday ...

Unexpected cut sweat

DUBLIN, Ohio — An unusual tension hung in the air as I found Scottie Scheffler walking down the 13th hole. The fairway corridor was packed with people, but an eerie quietness loomed.

There is not a golfer we have seen in contention more in recent memory. Scheffler is used to competing in nervy situations, and we are used to watching him execute more often than not. There is suspense, but typically because we feel pretty confident we are about to watch a great shot.

Friday was enthralling for a completely different reason.

For the first time in a long time, we didn’t know what we were about to see from Scheffler, and we didn’t know if we were about to see him at all this weekend. Embroiled in a cutline sweat, we watched Scheffler shank a bunker shot on the fifth, then uncharacteristically drop three shots in a row. With eight holes to play, Scheffler was plummeting down the leaderboard and needed to find a way to stay even-par the rest of the day to make the cut with the toughest holes remaining and the wind kicking up. That’s when I went out to find him.

I expected drama to the end. I was wrong. By the time I got there, Scheffler’s approach had already settled within 3 feet at the 13th, and the first needed birdie was a shoo-in. He was 10 feet away from another at the 14th, though when that putt slid by, I thought there was a chance the frustration would linger. Instead, he poured in a 20-foot birdie at the 15th and a 40-footer at the 16th.

Scheffler made a pair of pars from there, and the brief cutline sweat was over. Scheffler’s cut streak, the longest active on TOUR, extended to 76. Yet just as I thought all was well in the world of the world No. 1, he opened his mouth and drew me in.

“That's maybe some of the worst I've hit it in a couple years,” Scheffler said post-round. That he shot even-par in spite of that was a positive, he said. It was also an admission he’s not where he wants to be. As was his post-round range time, an hour-long therapy session with caddie Ted Scott. If it were a mix of windy conditions and a difficult golf course, there would be nowhere to escape this weekend. Or in two weeks' time at the U.S. Open. Or next month at the British Open.

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

Playing through

• 📺 Catch up on Round 2 highlights …
• 🏌️ Ryan Gerard is one of the most insightful guys on TOUR. He also has one of the weirdest swings. This video was the perfect blend of the two, taking us through the intricate details of his swing. Highly recommend ...
• ❌ Scheffler made the cut, but who couldn’t mount a similar charge? Here are the notable names who missed …

Out of nowhere

J.T. Poston has gone through ruts in his career, but he admitted Friday that none have been as long as this. The 33-year-old has struggled to mount any momentum, despite a full schedule of Signature Events and ample opportunities. He has no top-20 finishes and has already missed the same number of cuts but in half as many events as a year ago.

“When the results aren't there, it's easy to start questioning stuff, having doubts, doubting your game, your golf swing. You start making changes, and I've certainly lived that this first few, I guess, five months of the season,” Poston said. "But I've also played this game long enough, been out here long enough to know that these stretches come.”

And eventually they go. Is Poston working his way out of his?

At the very least, he accomplished something incredible on Friday. His 7-under 65 was nine strokes better than the scoring average and four strokes better than the next lowest round. It’s by far his best round of the year. Per strokes gained, it’s the second-best round by any player all season.

“I'm looking forward to watching his round back,” said Tommy Fleetwood, who is 4 under and will play one group ahead of him on Saturday. “Actually I need to find that on TV and watch how he played today. But that's like, you know, that's phenomenal.”

Parting shots

• 👀 I’m keenly watching Rory McIlroy's driving this week. It will be paramount to find the fairway at Shinnecock Hills in a few weeks, and McIlroy has been more erratic than usual with the best club in his bag. It's been so-so this week. He hit nine fairways Friday after only seven on Thursday.
• 🌬️ Poston switched golf balls last week, which he partly credited for his great play. The new ball, a Titleist ProV1 Left Dash, is particularly impactful in windy conditions. He shot the round of the day, 7-under 65.
• 🥇🥈 Ryan Gerard is off to an incredible start with the putter. He’s gained more than seven strokes on the greens. He ranked first in the field on Thursday and second on Friday.
• 🎢 Jordan Spieth cannot get off the rollercoaster. The best part of his game in his 1-under first round was his approach play. It’s also why he’s going home after Friday. His irons completely abandoned him as he shot 7-over 79 in the second round to miss the cut. He lost more than five strokes on approach.
• 🥤Milkshake count: 🥤🥤… Went with the buckeye (peanut butter and chocolate). Worried about what the final tally might be by the end of the week. I can’t control myself.