“I’ve pretty much lived my whole life this year”: Scottie Scheffler caps historic season with $25 million Tour Championship win
Scotty Scheffler holds his son Bennett as his wife Meredith looks on after winning the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
The world’s No. 1 player capped off a historic and chaotic year with a four-point victory at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta on Sunday. After starting the week with a two-stroke lead at 10 under par to repay his place at the top of the FedEx Cup standings, the American beat East Lake with a 67 under par to beat compatriot Collin Morikawa and claim the title of winner, who will share $25 million from the $100 million prize pool.
It’s the first time since Tiger Woods in 2007 that a player has won seven times in a PGA Tour season, a feat that’s even more impressive when you add in the Olympic gold medal, the baby son and the arrest midway through a major tournament that were the highlights of Scheffler’s incredible campaign. . . “I feel like I’ve lived almost a lifetime in the last year,” Schaeffler told reporters. “It’s been really hard.”
“I’m exhausted right now,” he added. “There is no other way. I am really, really tired. »
Scheffler’s advance on Lake Toho was the reward of an extraordinary campaign. The 28-year-old looked virtually unbeatable during a prolific early-season run, becoming the first player ever to defend The Players Championship before winning the RBC Heritage in April – just a week after claiming his second Masters title at Augusta National – and has won four times in five starts.
His greatest prize came just weeks later, when wife Meredith gave birth to the couple’s first child, Bennett. Their son arrived in time for the PGA Championship, but the Texan was later arrested during a high-profile stint in Louisville.
The tournament favorite was arrested while driving his car near a police checkpoint near Valhalla Golf Club and was warming up in his cell. Although the week on the course ended in disappointment as Scheffler finished eight shots behind winner Xander Schauffele, all charges were dropped two weeks later.
Scheffler had a year to remember, both on and off the course. Scheffler bounced back with two more wins at the Memorial Tournament and Travelers Championship before winning the Olympic gold medal with a stunning final round at Le Golf National in Paris last month.
“It’s pretty cool to hear people yelling ‘USA,’ even though it’s been a month since it happened,” Scheffler said. “I’m very proud to be an American, so bringing home this gold medal was a lot of fun. I don’t know how to describe this year,” she said. “You had one strange place in Valhara -I just don’t know what to say about it -but everything else was very special,” he added.
Before the chephula made many characteristic mistakes by the end of his front nine, it looked like a line.
That led to a bogey that was replicated at the following hole when the leader shanked his effort from a greenside bunker, opening the door for a flying Morikawa to move within two strokes.
Fittingly for the season, any murmur of tension was immediately wiped out by Scheffler, who rattled off three consecutive birdies before lasering in for eagle at the par-five 15th to canter home ahead of world No. 4 Morikawa. Scheffler must have made an awkward throw under the tree.
“Nothing bothers him,” Morikawa, who won $12.5 million, told reporters of Scheffler. “Whether I was close or he was getting there, it didn’t change his walk, his game or how he executed each shot. It’s worth learning.” I think his mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people know.
“It’s amazing what he’s been able to do for this entire season and over these past three years. It was really cool to watch and I hope I can take something from it.
Now Morikawa and Scheffler’s attention turns to the Presidents Cup, where both players automatically qualify for Team USA captain Jim Furyk’s squad to face Mike Weir’s international team on Sept. 24 at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada.
Two years ago, Scheffler was part of the victorious U.S. team at Quail Hollow in North Carolina, but struggled individually, losing three of four matches. “Emotionally, I’m pretty drained right now, so I’m looking forward to getting home and resting for a week or two before I start preparing for the Presidents Cup because that’s a tournament I really want us to win,” Scheffler said.
