Scheffler's Amazing 60
Scottie Scheffler Shoots 60, Just Misses Sub-60 Round at Travelers Championship
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Scottie Scheffler narrowly missed a second career sub-60 round on Friday, tapping in for a 10-under 60 at the Travelers Championship to set the early clubhouse target. A 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole slid by, denying him history — but his 16-under total still gave him a two-shot lead at a soggy TPC River Highlands, AP.
Viktor Hovland also flirted with 59, needing birdies on each of his final two holes to break the barrier. He made neither, settling for a 9-under 61 that matched his career best on tour, News-Gazette reported. The scoring was historically low across the board, with Dustin Johnson also carding a 60.
Soft Course Turns Travelers Into a Birdie Fest
Heavy rain during Wednesday's Pro-Am soaked TPC River Highlands and set off a low-scoring frenzy. Officials enacted "preferred lies" — meaning players could lift, clean, and place their ball — for the second round, Click Orlando reported. The course plays just 6,844 yards at par 70, already one of the shortest stops on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler birdied holes 5 through 8 on the front nine, then reeled off birdies on 13 through 16 on the back. He was 11-under through 16 holes before closing with two pars. "When the scoring is lower it can be harder and harder to play catch up," Scheffler said, per News4Jax. "You can only shoot so low on some of these golf courses, so it's important to keep pace."
Scheffler One Putt Away From Rare PGA Tour History
Had Scheffler drained that final putt, he would have joined Jim Furyk as the only players in PGA Tour history with multiple sub-60 rounds. Scheffler shot 59 in the second round of the 2020 Northern Trust at TPC Boston during his rookie season, Boston 25 News noted. Only 11 players have ever broken 60 on tour.
Hovland's near-miss added to the drama. The Norwegian star warned that TPC River Highlands can fool even the best. "You think you'll shoot 8-under," he said, "then you're 2-over at the turn wondering what happened." He rallied to post 61, leaving himself two shots back of Scheffler heading into the weekend.
Leaderboard Stacked Behind Scheffler's 16-Under Lead
Scheffler sits at 16-under par through 36 holes. Hovland is alone in second at 14-under. Akshay Bhatia and first-round leader Eric Cole share third place at 12-under, AP reported. The full field of 72 players remains in the tournament — there is no 36-hole cut at Signature Events.
The winner will take home $3.6 million from a $20 million purse. As the final Signature Event of the 2026 regular season, the 700 FedExCup points on offer could cement the top playoff seeding. Scheffler, already the world No. 1, is in prime position to lock that spot up, per Click Orlando.
Critics Question Whether Soft Conditions Cheapen the Scores
Not everyone is celebrating the low numbers. Some critics argue that preferred lies and soft greens turn the event into "target practice," stripping historic rounds of 60 or 61 of real meaning, News4Jax noted. TPC River Highlands already drew fire in 2023 when Rory McIlroy called the course "obsolete" after Keegan Bradley won at a record 23-under.
Officials responded by narrowing fairways and adding mounding to six holes before 2024. Those changes have done little to slow elite ball-strikers in wet conditions. The repeated low scores may force the PGA Tour to rethink the venue's long-term future as a top-tier stop, or push for even stricter distance-limiting rules, Boston 25 News reported.
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