Scottie Scheffler looks at the pin before hitting out of the bunker on the 18th green during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament Thursday, March, 28, 2024, in Houston. Alejandro Tosti places his ball on the 15th green before putting during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament Thursday, March, 28, 2024, in Houston. Defending champion Tony Finau tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the Houston Open golf tournament Thursday, March, 28, 2024, in Houston.
Three others with one PGA Tour win, including U.S. Amateur champion Nick Dunlap, were another shot behind. But what flummoxed him was the par-3 15th, with the tee and pin moved forward, making the hole play a mere 121 yards with narrow margins for the miss. Scheffler’s tee shot landed about 6 feet from the hole and he heard the gallery cheers — and then groan.
But he answered with a 4-iron to the green on the par-5 16th and another great shot to a tough pin to 4 feet for birdie on the 17th. “All I tried to do today was play perfect with what I had, not necessarily like perfect golf but getting the easy ones up and down, not three-putting,” Dunlap said.