Scottie Scheffler not crazy about an East Lake course that creates congestion on leaderboard

Scottie Scheffler expressed dissatisfaction with the East Lake golf course's layout, specifically the par-3 ninth hole, which he believes contributes to the high concentration of scores on the leaderboard. After three rounds, the 87 players on that hole had made two birdies and six bogeys, resulting in 79 pars or better. Scheffler, who holds a degree from the McCombs School of Business at Texas, questioned the purpose of playing a hole where everyone is likely to par.

Viktor Hovland and Ryan Gerard managed to get some separation at the end, with Hovland leading by one stroke in a 65, while Gerard posted a bogey-free 66. However, the overall scoring trend has been quite even throughout the tournament. Players like McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg have compared the current course to the PGA Championship at Aronimink, where a large number of players were once separated by just two shots midway through the third round.

McIlroy and Aberg both noted that the modern course designs often prioritize length and width, which can make it harder for golfers to gain significant birdie opportunities. This, in turn, leads to a more tightly packed field and a lower margin between the best scores and the rest. Scheffler himself faced challenges on the 17th hole, mistiming a 5-wood off the back tee and not getting closer than 12 feet to the pin.

He acknowledged that the modern golf course trend of making fairways and greens larger, while pin placements are confined to narrow areas, contributes to the current scoring situation.