Scottie Scheffler has responded to Rory McIlroy narrowly missing out on winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last weekend
Scottie Scheffler has sent a supportive message to Rory McIlroy after his run of near-misses extended last weekend.
McIlroy lost a play-off for the BMW PGA Championship last Sunday to continue his frustrating year. The four-time major winner was part of a three-way play-off at Wentworth but cruelly lost out to Billy Horschel, who nailed an eagle putt on the 18th hole.
The Northern Irishman has been on an unlucky run since his heartbreaking collapse at the US Open in June. Earlier this month, McIlroy let another lead slip at the Irish Open before heading to the BMW PGA Championship.
The 35-year-old admitted to being tested by his recent misfortunes. However, world No.1 Scheffler has argued that McIlroy did not lose at Wentworh, he was simply outdone by Horschel.
“I think I played a lot of solid tournaments, and it was nice to get some wins. I’ve had years in the past on tour where I’ve played pretty nice and I haven’t been able to win a bunch,” Scheffler said at a Presidents Cup press conference.
“Sometimes in this game the breaks go your way and sometimes they don’t. You know like Rory’s had some close calls. He has a playoff last week, and a guy eagles the final hole to beat him, and that’s kind of a tough deal.”
“He didn’t lose, he got beat. So that can happen,” Scheffler added. “Sometimes the breaks fall your way, like Tom Kim and I in the playoff at Travelers. He did birdie 18 to get in the playoff, but then he made a bogey on the playoff hole. Just little things like that sometimes can help.”
Scheffler’s comments come after McIlroy’s admission that it has been irritating to see his strong form ultimately not result in titles. “Look, it’s golf and I’m playing well. These things happen,” he said. “Two weeks in a row I’ve played well. Just not quite well enough. The game is testing me a little more than it has done in the past, but that’s fine.”
Rory McIlroy (L) lost out to Billy Horschel (R) at the BMW PGA Championship ( Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
McIlroy has taken some time off after his Wentworth disappointment but will be able to raise his spirits by teaming up with his dad Gerry at the pro-am Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. Meanwhile, Scheffler is targeting his ninth win of the season at the Presidents Cup, following his seven PGA victories and clinching Olympic gold, and hinted at how easily McIlroy’s fortunes could change.
“Sometimes it’s an important putt or a little break here or there, and a lot of times this year I felt like I made the putts when I really needed to,” Scheffler said. “I made that 5-footer on 18 in Paris, made a bunch of putts on that back nine.
“I made a putt to win the Memorial on the last hole. And back nine at the Masters, final round at The Players, I made a lot of putts that were not necessarily on 18 green, but a lot of putts that were important to keep momentum in the round going.
“In years past, maybe sometimes those putts went in sometimes, but this year I felt like for the most part I made a lot of those putts when I needed to.”
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