Scheffler did better than Spieth\u2019s bogey, birdieing the par-5 17th after getting relief from a hospitality area to keep alive his hopes of successfully defending his claret jug.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for Scheffler, he bogeyed the last for 3-under 67 and a 7-under week to finish three shots back of tournament winner Ryan Fox.<\/a><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t for lack of excitement, as Scheffler birdied three of his first five holes \u2013 all three putts coming from inside 5 feet \u2013 to firmly enter the mix. He then stepped on the 17th tee box three shots off the lead following a 12-foot birdie make at the par-4 16th, which righted the ship from his bogey at No. 13, where he drew a nasty lie right of the fairway \u2013 not near where Spieth was in 2017, though \u2013 and only advanced his second shot about a yard.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when Scheffler hit a low, slicing 3-wood that hit into a massive dune left of the fairway and somehow didn\u2019t kick right.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? Why?!\u201d Scheffler could be heard screaming. \u201cHow does that even happen?! That ball\u2019s slicing \u2013 one bounce! One bounce!\u201d<\/p>\n Scheffler surprisingly drew a clean lie, though he couldn\u2019t see the green, which was still nearly 300 yards up ahead. Knowing he still needed at least one birdie, Scheffler kept 3-wood in hand and took a might lash. His front foot slid out from his stance and his ball came out well left the target line.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a ball so offline,\u201d said Sky Sports on-course reporter Inci Mehmet. \u201cThat\u2019s about 100 yards left.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a shot that I typically would not have played from over there, just because I can\u2019t see anything, don\u2019t know how it\u2019s going to come out,\u201d Scheffler said. \u201cMaybe I should do it more often.\u201d<\/p>\n Television cameras did not pick up where Scheffler\u2019s ball landed. He hit a provisional left of the green and then marched toward the hospitality tents to look for the first ball, which was never found.<\/p>\n While it was initially believed that Scheffler would play his provisional, several minutes later, Scheffler was seen going through the drop process.<\/p>\n Chief referee Mark Litton would soon explain that Scheffler\u2019s ball did not need to be found inside the temporary immovable obstruction for him to receive free relief. Because Scheffler\u2019s ball was \u201cvirtually certain\u201d to be in the hospitality area, he got a free drop at point of entry, then another drop for line of sight (his ball was later found in the area).<\/p>\n
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