Scheffler seizes Travelers Championship lead after narrowly missing out on second 59

Needing the putt from around 25 feet at the 18th to shoot 59, Scheffler's effort slid past the hole, denying him the chance to become only the second player in PGA Tour history to record multiple sub-60 rounds.

The World No 1 nevertheless produced another superb display at a receptive TPC River Highlands, reaching 16 under par and opening a two-shot advantage over Viktor Hovland while many of the afternoon starters were still out on the course.

"Going out yesterday [Thursday] in the afternoon, when the greens get firm out here and the wind starts to blow, it can get tricky pretty quickly," Scheffler said.

"Going out this morning, you definitely had a feeling the conditions were going to be easier, so you need to go out there and try and take advantage of it.

"At the end of the day, I was very focused on just my execution out there. Who knows what the lead is going to be after today. I've put myself in position now this week. Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow."

Scheffler's only previous round below 60 on the PGA Tour came during his rookie season in 2020, when he fired a 59 in the second round of The Northern Trust at rain-softened TPC Boston.

Only Jim Furyk has recorded more than one sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. Furyk posted a 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship before setting the Tour's lowest-ever score with a stunning 58 in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship, although he did not win either event.

Scheffler, the 2024 Travelers Championship winner, arrived in Connecticut on the back of a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open. His most recent victory came at The American Express in January, his opening start of the season.

"It was like, it would be cool to shoot 59, but somebody has already shot 58 here, so it's not even the course record," Scheffler said.

Sharing third place on 12 under, four off Scheffler's lead and two behind Hovland are Akshay Bhatia and Eric Cole, while Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick is part of a three-way tie for fifth on 10 under alongside Bud Cauley and Ben Griffin.