TPC Twin Cities isn’t used to hosting an early gallery so large. But when the world number one tees off at 7.29 a.m. local time, apparently, even a breakfast tee time doesn’t keep fans away. Scottie Scheffler’s 3 am Open debut turned into the story of the day, and by the time he signed for his scorecard, he had sent a clear warning to the rest of the field.

Scheffler finished the round, carding a bogey-free six-under 65, needing every bit of his short game early before his ball-striking caught up with him.

“I didn’t hit a bunch of fairways early, but I was able to kind of manage my way around and get some of the trouble areas without making any bogeys. That was important for keeping my momentum going. Once I started to hit fairways, I gave myself looks. I was able to start making some birdies,” he said at the post-press conference

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This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

How Many Kiwi Golfers Have Won a Major?

3451

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Scottie Scheffler arrives in Minnesota after a T-4 finish at Royal Birkdale, still chasing his first win since the American Express back in January. He also missed the cut at the Scottish Open the week before, his first weekend missed on the Tour since 2022. But, much to Scheffler’s style, the pattern is now familiar. Scheffler stumbles, then answers strongly on the course almost immediately.

Scheffler ranked 144th in strokes gained at The Open. He struggled to putt at Royal Birkdale, the second time in the last 12 months he’s missed strokes.

Back at 3M, he sent a clear warning to the pro players in the field.

He started his round strong with a birdie on the first hole, rolling a 14-foot putt. He carded another one on the fourth hole, draining a 28-foot birdie putt.

In his own admission, he faced early trouble with his driving accuracy, failing to find the fairway as he typically does. Even so, once he settled into the rhythm, he remained in complete control. He progressed on the back nine by carding birdies on the 12th and the 18th hole, finishing the round bogey-free.

That performance briefly pushed him to the top of the leaderboard. But his competitors on the field caught the lead once again. Emiliano Grillo, who birdied an 8-under cushion through 14 holes, closed with a 64, despite back-to-back bogeys on the back. Later in the afternoon, Ben Kohles went on to finish his round even lower, carding a 9-under to move to the top of the board. Gary Woodland and Jackson Koivun joined Grillo at 7 under, with Scheffler finishing at T5.

The fans and the critics are now excited to see Scheffler tee up for the second round. He is scheduled to tee off alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im, chasing his 21st PGA Tour title.

But on Thursday, it wasn’t only his scorecard that had people talking at TPC Twin Cities.

Scottie Scheffler receives a heartwarming welcome in Minnesota

Scheffler’s opening round performance was a treat for fans, but the most memorable moment was before he even struck his first shot.

Hundreds of fans, of all ages, gathered in large numbers to witness him play. Fans packed the area around the opening tee, forming a horseshoe-shaped gallery as they waited for Scheffler to begin his round. Truly a sight to behold, perhaps the biggest TPC Twin Cities saw recently.

Moreover, reports have surfaced that his presence has driven ticket demand throughout the tournament week.

Speaking at the press conference, Scheffler was asked how he feels about it.

“It was a lot of fun. It was a really good crowd this morning, especially for early tee time. It is always fun getting to play in front of so many people. The crowd support for all three of us in the group today was really nice.”

The support from the crowd wasn’t just visible but could be heard with every wonderful shot Scheffler made. The cheers soared as high as it possibly could. True to his reputation, Scheffler has embraced the support. He signed autographs, posed for photos with fans, and stopped by a local coffee shop before the practice rounds on Monday. He even took time to chat and compliment fans on Wednesday. He clearly seems to be enjoying his time.

Given how round one has panned out, fans are now anticipating what the other three rounds could hold.