Scottie Scheffler expressed frustration with caddy Ted Scott after seeing his tee shot land in the water on Memorial Tournament’s 16th hole. The world number 1 in the world rankings started the first round well at Muirfield Village Golf Club, but made a double bogey on that par 3 and ended the day with 73 strokes, one over par. The incident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, June 4, 2026, on Dublin, Ohio.
Scheffler’s ball deflected to the left under the influence of the wind and ended up in the water. Ele exchanged barbs with his caddy as he walked toward the green. The tournament’s defending champion was looking for a third consecutive title in the event presented by Workday.
Scheffler starts with 34 on the front nine
The American golfer completed the first nine holes with 34 shots, two under par. Ele played solidly early and seemed to control the field well in strong wind conditions. Problems arose on the way back. Bogeys on holes 10 and 14 had already raised the score before the main incident.
Mesmo therefore, the 16th hole stood out as the most challenging of the round for him. The 7-iron shot came out clean, but the wind changed direction and carried the ball into the penalty zone. Scheffler made double bogey there and had to recover on the final holes.
- Buraco 16: par 3, double bogey after ball in the water
- Back nine: 39 strokes, three over par
- Total of the round: 73 strokes, one over
Troca of words with Ted Scott gains attention
PGA Tour Live cameras captured the dialogue between Scheffler and Ted Scott shortly after the shot. The player raised the brim of his hat and placed his hand on his chin in disbelief. Ele questioned the wind reading and repeated that he hit the ball well. Scott walked ahead and responded briefly.
Scheffler used the term “we” when talking about the forecast error, which indicated a division of responsibility. Ele stated that the wind was strong from the right and that the shot was perfect for the expected conditions. The moment extended to the green, but did not evolve into a larger discussion.
The episode drew attention because Scheffler usually maintains his composure even on bad days. His season so far has only one victory, in American Express, which may have contributed to the occasional outburst.
Scheffler analyzes the incident after the round
At the end of the first round, the golfer commented that he prefers to be pushed by gusts from the left than from the right on certain holes. Ele reinforced that he hit good shots throughout the day, but the wind changed suddenly. Scheffler avoided placing sole blame on the caddy and highlighted the difficulty of reading real-time conditions.
The 16th hole was the fourth most difficult hole of the round for the entire field. Vários players faced problems there because of the variable gusts. Scheffler ended the day tied for 33rd place, six strokes behind the leaders.
Ele remains favorite to seek the three-peat in the Jack Nicklaus tournament. Recent history on Muirfield Village includes wins in 2024 and 2025. Apesar from the start over par, the American showed good iron play for most of the round.
Condições from the field and overall performance
Strong wind marked the first round of Memorial Tournament 2026. The field found it difficult to control the balls in the air, especially on the par 3s. Scheffler hit several greens in regulation, but the putts and wind decisions weighed on the final result.
Outros round highlights included late birdies from some competitors who managed to recover. The provisional leader finished with numbers below par on a difficult day. Scheffler will have the second round to adjust his position on the leaderboard.
Ele cited the frustration of feeling like he was hitting well and still ending up in the drop zone. The golfer mentioned that all that remains is to try good shots and deal with the variables of the day. The incident does not appear to have affected the relationship with long-time partner Ted Scott.
Próximos steps in Memorial Tournament
Scheffler returns to the field this Friday for the second round. Ele needs a solid return to climb the rankings and keep his title shot alive. The tournament brings together the main names of the PGA Tour in one of the signature events of the season.
Muirfield Village remains demanding even after renovations. The two-team defending champion knows the layout well and should use this experience to his advantage. Complete coverage follows all the movements of the main players throughout the weekend.