Scottie Scheffler lashes out after embarrassing shot during first PGA Tour event since Olympics victory

Scottie Scheffler had a moment of frustration all golf fans could relate to during the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship Thursday. 

The World No. 1, playing his first tournament back on the PGA Tour since winning Olympic gold in Paris, lost his temper, despite shooting a four-under 66 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee

Four-under thru 12, the Masters champion's tee shot at the 13th found a bunker 185 yards from the pin. His second shot failed to find the green, suffering a similar sandy fate. 


Faced with getting up and down from the trap to the right of the green, Scheffler splashed out over the pin with his ball coming to a stop 13 feet away from the hole. 

Despite his shot safely finding the dancefloor and setting up a good look at a par save, the two-time major winner was less than impressed. 

Scottie Scheffler had a moment of frustration during the FedEx St. Jude Championship

Scottie Scheffler had a moment of frustration during the FedEx St. Jude Championship

The World No. 1 teed it up at his first PGA Tour event since winning Olympic gold in Paris

The World No. 1 teed it up at his first PGA Tour event since winning Olympic gold in Paris 

Scheffler immediately slammed his club into the bunker before his ball could even land, before furiously kicking the sand to cover his tracks and shaking his head in disgust. 

As he exited the sand trap, he took one last aim at the ground with his club before striding away. 

Scheffler ultimately missed the par putt and was forced to tap in for bogey - his lone dropped shot of the round. 

However, he picked up another birdie at the par-five 16th to card his 66 and head into the second round Friday with a seven-way share of fifth. 

Scheffler's rare outburst came one day after the Olympian ripped into the PGA Tour's 'silly' playoff format. 

Arriving with a freshly-won gold medal around his neck, Scheffler was pressed on the one trophy that had eluded him throughout his glittering career so far: The FedEx Cup. 

The Masters champion was less than impressed with his attempt out of the greenside bunker

The Masters champion was less than impressed with his attempt out of the greenside bunker

'I talked about it the last few years, I think it's silly,' said Scheffler, who has started the past two Tour Championships at East Lake Golf Club at 10-under - at least two shots better than the rest of the field. 

'You can't call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament.

'Hypothetically, we get to East Lake and my neck flares up and it doesn't heal the way it did at the Players. I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season-long race? No, it is what it is.'

Scheffler, whose 2024 earnings total $36,148,691 so far, will tee off alongside PGA Championship and The Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele at 10:35am ET in the second round Friday with the BMW Championship following next week before the PGA Tour's season finale on August 29.