Scottie Scheffler was unstoppable on Friday, as he fired a bogey-free 11-under 61 to take a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of The Sentry, the PGA Tour season opener in Kapalua, Hawaii. Scheffler, who is still seeking his maiden PGA Tour title, made nine birdies and an eagle to match the course record at the Plantation Course. He also tied the lowest round of his career, which he previously shot at the 2020 Northern Trust.
Scheffler started his round on the back nine and quickly got into the groove with birdies on the 10th, 11th and 13th holes. He then eagled the par-5 15th with a brilliant approach shot that landed within three feet of the hole. He added four more birdies on his second nine, including a 12-footer on the last hole to cap off his sensational round.
“I just got in a good rhythm out there,” Scheffler said. “I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, gave myself a lot of good looks and was able to convert a bunch of them.”
Tyrrell Hatton equals his career-best with a 62
Tyrrell Hatton was not far behind Scheffler, as he also carded a career-low 11-under 62 to move into a tie for second place with Cameron Young, who shot a 64. Hatton, who won the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour in October, was in a zone with his putter, as he made 10 birdies and an eagle with no bogeys. He needed only 23 putts in his round, which he described as “mad”.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a putting round like that before,” Hatton said. “I holed so many good putts today, and obviously that makes such a huge difference to your score.”
Hatton’s eagle came on the par-5 ninth, his last hole of the day, where he hit a 3-wood from 268 yards to 12 feet and rolled in the putt. He also made a clutch par save on the eighth, where he hit his tee shot into the hazard and had to take a penalty drop. He then hit a wedge to six feet and made the putt to keep his momentum going.
“I was just trying to stay patient and take advantage of the par 5s,” Hatton said. “Thankfully, I managed to do that and finish with a nice eagle.”
Other notable performances and stories
- Cameron Young, a rookie who earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour, continued his impressive form with a 7-under 64 that included eight birdies and a bogey. Young, who won back-to-back events on the Korn Ferry Tour in May, said he felt comfortable playing at Kapalua, where he had visited as a kid with his family.
- Collin Morikawa, the defending champion and world No. 2, shot a 5-under 66 to move into a tie for fourth place with Emiliano Grillo, who also had a 66. Morikawa made six birdies and a bogey, and said he was happy with his ball-striking and putting.
- Sahith Theegala, the first-round leader who opened with a 64, slipped to a 2-over 73 in the second round and dropped to a tie for 25th place. Theegala, who is also a rookie, struggled with his driver and missed several fairways and greens. He made four bogeys and two birdies in his round.
- Jordan Spieth, who is looking for his first PGA Tour win since 2017, shot a 4-under 67 to move into a tie for seventh place with Patrick Cantlay, who had a 65. Spieth made five birdies and a bogey, and said he was pleased with his progress after working on his swing during the offseason.
- The Sentry is the first event of the 2024 PGA Tour season, and features a 59-player field of winners from the previous season. The winner will receive $2.4 million and 500 FedEx Cup points.
