Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler believe one of golf’s longest-standing records is safe forever. While many records have been broken over the years, McIlroy and Scheffler are convinced this record is too impossible to break and will remain untouched for the foreseeable future.
31-Year-Old Record Close to Perfection
Omar Uresti set the record of nine birdies in a row during a PGA Tour round in 1994. Despite playing some of the best golf of their careers, both McIlroy and Scheffler say that mark is out of reach, even at a course like TPC River Highlands. As the Travelers Championship gets underway in Connecticut, talk about scoring runs has picked up. The course has a reputation for low scores and lots of birdies. Yet, when asked if they could challenge the birdie streak, McIlroy and Scheffler didn’t hesitate to shake their heads ‘no.’
The birdie streak has held firm for 31 years. Since Uresti achieved the streak in 1994, only six other players have matched the mark. No one has gone beyond it. This season, the longest birdie streak anyone has managed is seven.
“Omar made nine birdies in a row? Wow, I’ve never made close to nine birdies in a row. Why is that record so… has lasted so long? I think that’s really difficult, and the courses out here, they’re only trying to make them more difficult for whatever reason. Nine birdies in a row, that’s pretty ridiculous golf. That’s about as close to perfection as you’ll probably get in the game of golf,” Scheffler said.
It’s “Just Too Hard” To Beat This Record
The Travelers Championship comes just days after the U.S. Open. It serves as the final Signature Event on the PGA Tour schedule. Players like McIlroy, Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun will be competing for the $20 million purse. McIlroy and Scheffler both come into the event in solid form. Scheffler finished tied for seventh at the U.S. Open, while McIlroy tied for 19th. Both know the Travelers Championship offers a chance to end the season strong.
“I mean, I make two birdies in a row, and I’m thinking, ooh,” said McIlroy. “So I think it’s more of a mental thing where you start to make a few birdies in a row and you start to think about it. I think that’s the worst thing you can do. You just got to try to get out of your own way when you’re on a run like that. I think it will be a long time when you see someone with ten birdies in a row out here, especially with how difficult the setups are getting and how tough the courses are.”
“It’s just too hard,” McIlroy added. “You can’t plan it. It just has to happen-and even then, everything has to go your way.”
Main Photo Credit: © Katie Goodale-Imagn Images
