In a surprising turn of events, Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, faced a challenging day at Pinehurst No. 2 as he fought to maintain his form in the tournament. After a solid round of 1-under 71 on Thursday, Scheffler encountered difficulties on Friday, which led to a disappointing score of 74. With two bogeys, one double bogey, and no birdies (for the first time in 168 rounds), Scheffler finished 5 over and is now at risk of missing the cut at a major for the first time since the 2022 PGA Championship.

Scheffler's frustrations were evident as he vented his disappointment on the course. After a wayward tee shot on the 18th hole, he resorted to slamming his driver to the ground, followed by throwing his tee in disgust. The challenging greens at Pinehurst No. 2 proved to be his biggest obstacle, with his short game and putting failing him throughout the day.

One notable example was on the par-5 fifth hole, where Scheffler's ball trickled off the green into the native area, ruining his chance for a birdie. Multiple attempts to chip onto the green only resulted in further struggles, and a missed bogey putt was a frustrating end to the hole.

Speaking about the unpredictable sandy areas on the course, Scheffler admitted that the native areas may have gotten the better of him in the last couple of days. He acknowledged that it is part of his job to minimize such mistakes and avoid hitting his shots into challenging areas.

While Scheffler usually enjoys the challenge of playing a tough course like Pinehurst No. 2, he expressed his disappointment in struggling to perform well under the tournament's difficult setup. The unpredictability of the native areas seemed to affect his game, leading to a series of exasperated reactions on the course.

Scheffler's struggles extended to the greens, where he lost over 3 strokes to the field with his putter. At one point, a missed putt on the 15th hole resulted in him tossing his putter in the air, showcasing his frustration.

The two-time Augusta winner attributed his difficulties partially to fatigue and reflected on whether his preparation for the tournament was sufficient. Scheffler hinted that playing the week before a major might not be the best approach and that he may need to reassess his strategy going forward.

Despite the challenging day, Scheffler remains optimistic about his chances of making the cut at Pinehurst. However, he acknowledges that a 5-over score might not be enough to secure his position in the tournament.

Fans and observers will be eagerly watching to see if Scheffler can mount a comeback and showcase his ability to rise to the top even in the face of adversity. If he does make the cut, it wouldn't be surprising to see him ascending the leaderboard once again, showcasing his resilience and skill on the course.