Rory McIlroy-Scottie Scheffler duel evaporates as stars stumble at Torrey Pines

Saturday at Torrey Pines was supposed to be all about Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

The third round of the 2025 Genesis Invitational was the first time that both stars had been in the top four of a PGA Tour event entering the third round.

While Davis Thompson held the 36-hole lead at 8-under par, Saturday looked like it would wind up being a Rory-Scottie duel at Torrey Pines’ famed South Course.

As is often the case, golf had different plans.

McIlroy’s third round can best be characterized by two stats: He hit just 5 of 14 fairways and lost 3.905 shots on the greens. The latter is McIlroy’s worst single round in that category on the PGA Tour in 10 years, per Justin Ray.

The four-time major champion had a few chances early to get off to a hot start, but he missed an 8-foot putt for birdie at no. 2 and a 13-foot putt for birdie at no. 3. Then came bogeys at the par-5 sixth and par-3 eighth before finally carding his first birdie at no. 9.

McIlroy’s day didn’t improve on the back nine as he missed a five-foot putt for birdie at the par-5 14th before double bogeying the par-3 16th. He missed a three-footer for bogey. When the dust settled, McIlroy shot a 2-over 74, which left him at 3-under for the tournament and five shots back of 54-hole leader Patrick Rodgers.

Moving day wasn’t any kinder to the world’s best player.

Scheffler started the day just one shot back from Thompson and quickly tied the lead with a birdie at no. 4.

Then came everything else.

Scheffler bogeyed both of the par 5s on the front nine — including a missed four-footer for par at No. 6 — and then hooked his tee shot on the par-4 14th hole left and into the bushes.

After taking an unplayable, Scheffler hit his third shot into the greenside bunker. He splashed out and left himself 7 feet, 7 inches for bogey. Scheffler struck his putt confidently but it grazed the right edge, and he tapped in for double.

Two holes later, on the par-3 16th, Scheffler once again lost his tee shot, launching it over the green and into the deep rough. A good pitch gave him a 15-foot look for par, but Scheffler burned another edge, which left him staring at caddie Ted Scott in disbelief.

The final damage for the World No. 1 was a 4-over 76, which left him tied with McIlroy at 3-under.

It was Scheffler’s worst round since the final round of the 2022 Players Championship.

On the day, Scheffler lost 3.893 strokes on the greens and was just four-for-seven scrambling. He also lost more than a half-stroke off the tee.

He made just 34 feet of putts. McIlroy only made 55.

Saturday in the La Jolla, Calif., sunshine was billed to be a showdown of the PGA Tour’s two biggest stars.

It evaporated quickly into the Southern California air, leaving Rodgers on top with only Denny McCarthy and Ludvig Aberge within two shots.