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16-year-old Texan posts back-to-back 61s, two course records in three-day span

Jonathan Wall

If watching 17-year-old Beau Hossler stay in contention for three days at the U.S. Open taught us anything, it's that the future looks extremely bright for today's crop of rising junior golfers. Hossler, 14-year-old Andy Zhang and 18-year-old Jordan Spieth are just a few of the names to keep an eye on over the next couple of years.

Another name you should probably consider throwing in the bunch? Sixteen-year-old Scottie Scheffler. The junior at Highland Park (Texas) High School was a rising star on the amateur golf circuit before last week, but he moved into the national spotlight with a couple of eye-popping rounds that would make even Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson shake their head in disbelief.

As the Dallas Morning News reported, Scheffler fired back-to-back 61s in the Dallas area, breaking the course record at Northwood Club with a 10-under 61, just one week after the club celebrated the 60th anniversary of hosting the 1952 U.S. Open.

At least Scheffler paid homage, sort of, to Open champ Julius Boros by taking only eight putts on the back nine. In 1952 Boros had 11 putts on the back nine in the morning round then one-putted seven of the final nine greens in the afternoon.

Eight putts on the back nine? I think I'm going to be sick. But wait, friends, there's more! Scheffler went on to tie the course record at Dallas Country Club just a couple days later with another 61 during a practice round.

"He's a phenomenal talent," said Royal Oaks head pro Randy Smith, Scheffler's instructor. "He was just playing for fun. We'd like to see him take that score to a tournament."

Not bad for a kid who was "playing for fun." It's hard to predict how some of these youngsters are going to pan out because, honestly, a lot can happen between now and when they consider going pro. But based on Scheffler's back-to-back 61s, he's definitely worth keeping on your radar.