Golf is a Dumb Game, Vol. 127: Scottie & Rory at the BMW Championship

Scottie Scheffler nearly doubled-up the field in Memphis for his second win of the season just four days ago. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, was completely lost with his golf swing and swore to spend some serious time grinding back home with his coach, Michael Bannon.

On Thursday, the World No. 1 beat three players in the 50-man field. McIlroy, after hitting 313 range balls between Tuesday and Wednesday, was in full-flight, signing for a 6-under 64.

Golf is a dumb game that makes zero sense.

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And honestly, no one is more surprised than me. On Tuesday, I was at my club for league night, and a member asked me if anyone was worth betting on at the BMW Championship. I told him there’s a pretty damn good chance Scheffler would run the table to cap off another Player of the Year campaign. What I watched on Day 1 in St. Louis was shocking—and that applies to McIlroy, too.

He didn’t pick up a club between The Open and a few days before the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and for those four rounds, his game—or more accurately, his swing—was in shambles. And, sure, there were some foul balls with the driver on Thursday, but he flushed iron shot after iron shot. And it could’ve been even lower!

From holes 9-14, McIlroy left four putts short—all right in the jaws—by a total of 17 inches. He really was that close to a cool 10-under 60.

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Now, who knows what will happen over the next few days. McIlroy could revert back and shoot 74 on Friday, while Scheffler could do exactly what we know what he’s capable of: three 65s in a row to win.

Nevertheless, Thursday was just another reminder of how fickle—and downright stupid—this game often is.