‘Such a Thug’: Scottie Scheffler Sparks Outcry With ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ at Oakmont

Looks like Scottie Scheffler is back to throwing tantrums again! Earlier this year, the #1 had quite a few outbursts after a series of bad performances. His biggest blowup came at TPC Scottsdale when a bad stroke made him reach his boiling point. He smacked his golf bag with his wedge, and it was powerful enough to topple it over. This time around, he seems to have targeted the fairway after things didn’t go the way he had planned!

The golfer found himself 38th at two-over on the 14th hole in the first round at Oakmont Country Club in the 2025 U.S. Open. After an impressive drive, his next landed on the green, which was within striking distance. However, the ball had a mind of its own. It kept rolling… and rolling away from the hole… The ball finally stopped 40 feet from the hole, but Scheffler was visibly frustrated by then and proceeded to slam his club on the ground! It left a divot on the Pennsylvania turf. After tapping the hole a couple of times, he walked over to the green and approached his ball. And by the end of round one, he was three-over-par, alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau, among others.

“There is no faking about Oakmont,” Tiger Woods had warned about Oakmont, even though he was not participating. And Scheffler’s frustrations are exactly what Woods had described prior. So when Scheffler let his anger out, NUCLR GOLF presented it as Iron Man’s instructions to the Hulk in the Avengers movie from 2012. They wrote, “Scottie club SMASH 💥🫨 @SchefflerFans.” Fried Egg Golf also had the same reaction as they tweeted “Scheffler Smash!” 

What’s interesting is that Scottie Scheffler started the week as the favorite to win, with the shortest odds for a U.S. Open favorite since Tiger Woods in 2009. And there were justifiable reasons for the same:

He is one of the most consistent performers at the major championships over the last several seasons.

Since 2022, he has been the frontrunner in the majors in scoring average, birdie or better rate, and strokes gained ball striking.

Scheffler also won three of the last four events (including the PGA Championship).

However, the golfer was simply focused on what he could do going into the 2025 U.S. Open. “I don’t pay attention to the favorite stuff or anything like that,” he stated earlier this week, and also added that he would aim to play his best golf. But when things didn’t go his way, his irritation was visible. However, the same didn’t sit too well with fans and viewers. What did they say?

Scottie Scheffler’s outburst riled up the fans!

Scottie Scheffler is undoubtedly one of the best golfers in the world at the moment. Fans and experts all agree that he is the man to beat for most, if not all, of the players on the field at Oakmont Country Club. But many believe that there is no excuse to destroy the fairway if things don’t go your way. As one fan perfectly worded it, “He’s such a thug, Texas Forty Acres culture right there ladies & gentleman.” He is usually known for his calm demeanor, on and off the course, but fans didn’t quite appreciate this.

There were some who found Scheffler’s behavior completely unacceptable. And they were adamant on pushing the narrative of punishing the #1. One of them mentioned, “Two Stroke penalty Unsportsmanlike conduct Is it necessary Other Sports call penalties why not Golf.” Interestingly, the rule about penalizing a golfer for intentionally damaging the course is quite subjective. While officials have added strokes to scores of golfers who broke the rule, some evaded the penalty just because of their status in the sport. Tiger Woods was also seen digging into the grass after a bad shot in the 2019 U.S. Open. But the tournament officials overlooked it after he gestured at trying to fix the divot.

via Imago

Speaking of status in the game, Scottie Scheffler is also one of the biggest athletes in the United States, whether Jordan Spieth & Co. believe it or not. On that note, fans expect him to be a better person in front of the camera. As a social media user mentioned, “There are kids watching Scottie! Be a role model!” Being the #1 in the world, thousands, if not millions, of fans look up to Scheffler.

One more wrote, “Out of character for the mellow Scheffler… It had to be a wasp he saw on that divot.” Further, reminiscing scenes from the 2024 PGA Championship when Scheffler was arrested, there was a comment that read, “Bloke needs to be locked up. Flight risk.” 

Do you think Scottie Scheffler’s reaction was too intense? Let us know in the comments below.