There are caveats to golfing alongside the world No. 1.
While attending the 3M Open last weekend, golf analyst Johnson Wagner took note of the crowds around Scottie Scheffler as he played the tournament at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota for the first time in his career following the British Open.
Johnson noted how much of a negative effect the amount of fans around Scheffler could have on those playing with him.
“The crowds were outstanding all week long,” Wagner told Scorecard on Wednesday.
“He teed off, it was pretty darn early on Thursday, and there were reports of 10 to 15,000 people out there following him, getting to see him for the first time.”
Wagner said its “ridiculous” how much of a draw Scheffler has become this year on the links.
“Brian Harman played with him Saturday, and Brian just needed to get the honour, because I think the whole back nine he was teeing off second,” Wagner went on. “And once Scottie hits, people are moving down the fairway.
“Harman backed off multiple times, I think it was on 11, it was a couple of other tee shots, he had to back off of tee shots because of the crowd. And then if Scottie made a putt and Harman’s got five feet for par of whatever, he’s inside him, it was brutal.”
Wagner compared the feeling to playing alongside Tiger Woods.
“I couldn’t imagine playing in the group in front of them, or in the group behind him, because it’s just people either swarming the greens or scattering. But the crowds were amazing,” he concluded.
Fans watched the 30-year-old put on another strong performance, shooting 8-under 63 on Sunday after polishing off birdies on holes 10 through 12.
He finished three shots behind winner Jackson Koivun, which stunningly made for his fifth runner-up finish of the season.
His PGA season has been close to an all-timer.
Scheffler has became the first player since PGA Tour records began in 1983 to record five runner-up finishes.
He could have had four or five wins this year on tour as the results have been slim, including when Scheffler finished only one shot behind Rory McIlroy at the Masters.
