Scottie Scheffler entered the weekend of the 2026 St. Jude Championship in a strong position after a major move up the leaderboard during the opening FedExCup Playoffs event. The world No. 1 started the second round three shots behind a group of leaders at TPC Southwind, with several top players looking to position themselves early in the tournament.
The PGA Tour event featured a competitive field chasing the first playoff victory of the season, including Viktor Hovland, Sungjae Im, Ludvig Aberg, Jordan Spieth, and Tommy Fleetwood. Scottie Schefflerâs performance was especially important as he looked to build momentum during a season where he had remained among the top players but had not won since January.
With the weekend approaching, Schefflerâs position at the top of the leaderboard created a significant storyline for the tournament. The challenge now was whether he could maintain his advantage against a group of experienced contenders over the final rounds.
Scottie Scheffler’s âDream Startâ Set the Tone for His Record-Matching Round
Scottie Scheffler described his opening stretch in his record-matching round with five simple words: âReally just a dream start.â He made the comment after shooting a 9-under 61 at TPC Southwind.
The round tied the course record and moved him into a three-shot lead heading into the weekend.
Scottie Scheffler began his second round with five consecutive birdies, matching a career-best start to a round on the PGA Tour.
Scottie Scheffler added another birdie on the seventh hole to reach the top of the leaderboard before finishing the day with 11 birdies overall.
âYou always want to try to get off to a good start. I was able to do that today. Really just a dream start,â Scheffler said after the round. âProbably one of the best starts I’ve had on TOUR, to be honest with you. I couldn’t tell you a time where I’ve been lower early in the round.â
The world No. 1 said the early momentum allowed him to continue executing throughout the round. He also explained that his performance was a major improvement from the previous day, when he felt he played better than his score suggested.
âYesterday was a day in which I felt like I played better than my score, but also early in the round I was out of the fairway a lot,â Scheffler said. âBut today was a day in which I felt I got a lot out of the round.â
Although Scheffler recorded bogeys on the eighth and 12th holes, he quickly recovered and continued attacking the course.
His final stretch included three straight birdies on holes 15 through 17, helping him secure the outright lead.
Scottie Scheffler’s Dominant 61 Raises Questions About His Winless Run
GettyScottie Scheffler of the United States
Scottie Schefflerâs 61 came during a season where questions had emerged because he had not added another victory since winning The American Express in January.
Despite the lack of recent wins, he entered the event with 11 top-10 finishes, including five runner-up results.
His performance at TPC Southwind showed the level that has kept him among the best players on the PGA Tour.
Schefflerâs ball-striking remained a key strength, and he was able to produce a record-matching score without needing a major putting performance.
Scottie Scheffler gained 3.874 shots on the field on the greens during his second round and recorded 13 one-putts.
He also said he was able to hole more putts after several close misses in the previous round.
âI feel like yesterday I had a couple of putts that were right around the edge,â Scheffler said. âToday I was able to hole a good amount of putts.â
The three-shot lead gave Scheffler control of the tournament, but several major names remained within striking distance.
Hovland and Im were tied for second at 8 under, while Aberg, Spieth, Fleetwood, and others stayed in contention.
The weekend challenge for Scheffler was converting a strong position into a tournament victory while facing a field that included several proven competitors.
His 61 placed him in the lead, but the final rounds would determine whether he could end his winless stretch.
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