Scottie Scheffler caps Tiger Woods-like season with $25 million victory

ATLANTA — When Tiger Woods famously made birdie on the 72nd gap on the 2008 U.S. Open, which compelled a playoff with Rocco Mediate the next day, Dan Hicks of NBC Sports activities famously cried out, “Count on something totally different!?”

You’ll be able to say the identical factor about this week’s Tour Championship. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler gained wire-to-wire, clinching his first FedEx Cup title and the $25 million that comes with it. He additionally turned the primary participant to win seven PGA Tour titles in a season since 2007, when Woods did so, making these comparisons much more palpable.

Scheffler’s march to historical past started at Bay Hill in March, the place, after having the placing yips, he determined to change out his mallet putter for a spider one. He gained that week and has stood atop the FedEx Cup standings ever since, a 25-week stretch that units a brand new PGA Tour document.

The next week, Scheffler gained at TPC Sawgrass, turning into the primary participant to win The Gamers in back-to-back years. A month later, he gained The Masters, as he made no errors down the stretch whereas each different contender faltered round him. Scheffler then gained the RBC Heritage, the Memorial, and the Vacationers Championship, additional solidifying his place as the very best participant on the planet.

However his closing spherical on the Olympics, a 9-under 62, will dwell on in sports activities lore ceaselessly. It’s, surely, one of the unbelievable rounds in historical past. It ranks up there with Johnny Miller’s 63 at Oakmont in 1973, Tom Watson’s 65 at Turnberry in 1977, Jack Nicklaus’ 65 at Augusta in 1986, and Henrik Stenson’s 63 at Royal Troon.

“So far as the 12 months goes, I actually don’t know the best way to put it into phrases,” Scheffler mentioned Sunday.

Picture by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs

“I believe the gold medal is fairly cool. I believe whenever you hear folks chanting ‘U-S-A,’ regardless that it’s been over a month now because it occurred, you continue to hear folks speaking about it, chanting. It’s fairly cool. Like I mentioned, I take nice pleasure in being an American, so fairly enjoyable to convey residence that gold medal.”

Throughout the nationwide anthem, Scheffler was overcome with emotion whereas standing on the rostrum as he acknowledged the importance of representing his nation and his place in historical past.

Since Paris, nevertheless, Scheffler has not been at his greatest. He contended on the FedEx St. Jude in Memphis however by no means threatened victory. Then, Scheffler had a irritating few days on the BMW Championship, which included a uncommon tirade. He tied for thirty third, failing to interrupt 71 on all 4 days.

Regardless of that, he arrived in Atlanta sitting atop the FedEx Cup standings, a place he has been in for the previous two seasons. Because of the beginning strokes format the Tour Championship now employs, Scheffler started the week holding a two-shot benefit at 10-under par over Xander Schauffele, who had a fabulous 12 months of his personal. However Scheffler has referred to as this format “foolish,” because it places an enormous goal on his again. His disdain for it maybe attracts from the 2022 and 2023 seasons, when he did not reap the benefits of the two-shot lead he began with.

However that might not occur this time round.

After bogeying the primary gap on Thursday, Scheffler went on an absolute tear. He performed the ultimate 17 holes in the course of the first spherical in 7-under par, opening up a document seven-shot lead over the sector after 18 holes.

It was all however over.

“I’m attempting to not assume a lot in regards to the beginning strokes stuff,” Scheffler mentioned Thursday.

“I believe it’s nonetheless a bit bizarre that it’s not a standard occasion. However yeah, it was good to get off to a great begin within the first spherical, and I really feel like I did a variety of issues effectively at present.”

He continued to do many issues effectively over the ultimate 54 holes, carding 66-66-67 on the par-71 format to beat Collin Morikawa by 4.

“We’ve put in a variety of work to get so far, and it’s been an extended week,” Scheffler mentioned Sunday.

“Proper now, I’m simply fairly drained, so I don’t actually know the best way to put this into phrases. But it surely’s a reasonably particular feeling to be lastly holding the trophy.”

Although it appeared just like the FedEx Cup could be Scheffler’s all alongside, the person at all times has a knack for entertaining. Whether or not it’s his very good play from tee to inexperienced, getting booked right into a Lousiville jail cell, or three-putting from 9 toes, Scheffler at all times retains {the golfing} world on the sting of their seats.

He did so once more on the seventh and eighth holes on Sunday.

On the seventh, Scheffler hit a snap duck-hook that threatened out-of-bounds. But, his wayward drive stayed in play because it bounced off the boundary fence. But it surely nestled up towards an Arborvitaie, organising a precarious scenario. Scheffler then took his stance, half his physique coated by the tree, and pitched out within the fairway. He in the end left himself a 5-footer for par, however he missed, thus taking a four-shot benefit to the eighth tee.

Picture by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs

After driving it into the greenside bunker on this drivable par-4, Scheffler hit a cold-blooded shank that went lifeless proper off the hosel. He bogied the eighth whereas Morikawa birdied, thus reducing his result in two—the bottom it had been because the sixth gap on Saturday.

However no one on the PGA Tour bounces again higher than Scheffler, one other Tiger-esque attribute that makes him the very best participant on the planet. He made three straight birdies after that shank, extending his lead again to 5 in a matter of minutes.

His caddie, Ted Scott, gave him a fast pep speak between the eighth and ninth holes, which settled Scheffler down and re-focused him once more. The reigning Masters champion then pulled out 4-iron on the ninth, a difficult par-3, and caught his tee shot to 5 toes.

“9 was an enormous turnaround,” Scheffler mentioned.

“Teddy gave me a pleasant pep speak there on the again of eight inexperienced as a result of I sort of checked out him like, ‘Man, I don’t find out about this; this isn’t wanting so sizzling proper now.’ He gave me somewhat pep speak after which I used to be capable of hit a very nice iron shot in there and bought issues rolling.”

A part of why Scheffler has been so dominant has been due to Scott, who has earned nearly $6 million of his personal this season. It’s good to loop for the world’s greatest participant, who has earned practically $70 million this 12 months alone.

“I’m not going to offer away all our secrets and techniques,” Scheffler mentioned when requested about what Scott mentioned on the eighth inexperienced.

“However Teddy has at all times been my greatest supporter. I believe the outcomes converse for themselves after he was capable of decide up my bag and begin serving to me. He actually is a big a part of the staff. I don’t know if I’d be capable of do any of this with out him on my bag. We’ve bought an excellent relationship. He has a behavior of claiming the suitable factor on the proper time to maintain me in the suitable state of mind.”

After re-establishing his large lead with birdies on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, Scheffler put an exclamation level on this championship with an eagle on the par-5 14th. He even gave somewhat fist-pump, figuring out he had put this event to mattress.

He held a five-stroke lead with 4 holes to play at that time, which meant it was time to engrave his identify into the FedEx Cup trophy for the primary time.

His closest pursuer, Morikawa, might do nothing extra as he put forth a valiant effort in his chase for Tour Championship glory. If not for the format, Morikawa would have truly gained this event. He posted a gross rating of 22-under par, whereas Scheffler completed at 20-under.

“Nothing fazes him,” Morikawa mentioned of Scheffler.

“Whether or not I used to be near gaining some floor or he was gaining floor, it didn’t change how he walked, performed, or went by each shot. That’s one thing to study. I believe his psychological recreation is so much stronger than lots of people I do know.”

That proclamation sounds awfully comparable—just like what many gamers might have mentioned within the early-to-mid 2000s.

“I believe the blokes are questioning, ‘How do you beat him?’ That was the identical sort of issue that Tiger Woods had when he was at his peak,” NBC Sports activities analyst Kevin Kisner mentioned on the printed.

“Guys didn’t need to be paired with him; they didn’t know the way they may beat him, and Scottie is beginning to get there.”

Certainly, Scheffler put forth a historic season that solely legends have produced.

“Speak in regards to the nice seasons of all time, the plateau of seven wins in a season within the final 70 years: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and now, Scottie Scheffler,” Hicks mentioned on the NBC broadcast on Sunday.

“A season which will by no means be duplicated.”

Seven PGA Tour titles and a gold medal victory is nearly incomprehensible. However so is a fast journey to a jail cell, the place he warmed up for his second spherical of the PGA Championship. In fact, he shot a 66 on that Friday in Might.

However by all of the very good play, the history-making, and the chaos, Scheffler and his spouse Meredith turned dad and mom this 12 months, a actuality that ranks above all else.

“I really feel like I’ve lived nearly a full lifetime on this one 12 months. It’s been nuts,” Scheffler mentioned.

“I believe it simply at all times comes again to my religion. I believe that’s what retains me grounded and in the suitable state of mind.”

If he retains that mindset, Scheffler will win and intimidate gamers for years to return—simply as Woods did some 20 years in the past.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.