The world No 1 arrives at Pinehurst on a run of form rarely seen in golf. It has left his rivals shaking their heads with a mix of admiration and resignation
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ScottieSchefflerhaswonfiveofhislasteightstarts.Photograph:KatieGoodale/USATodaySportsHowdoyousolveaproblemlikeScottieScheffler,theworld’stop-rankedgolferwhoentersthe124thplayingoftheUSOpenonaheadofsteamnotseenonthemen’stourformanyyears?ToaskRoryMcIlroy,theLouisvilleMetroPoliceDepartmentwereontherighttrack.
“Theonlythingthattookhimfromwinningagolftournamentwasgoingintoajailcellforanhour,”theNorthernIrishmansaidwithasmileonTuesdayatthePinehurstResortinthesandhillsofNorthCarolina,wheretheyear’sthirdmajorgetsunderwayintwodays.“Itseemslikeeverytimeheshowsup,heistheguytobeat,anddeservedlyso.”
Withthechargesstemmingfromaheadline-grabbingarrestduringlastmonth’sUSPGAChampionshiphavingsincebeendropped,themild-manneredSchefflerenterstheUSOpenasthelargestbettingfavoriteenteringamajorin15years.TheMasterschampionwillteeoffalongsideMcIlroyandXanderSchau
