A Masters inexperienced jacket and an Olympic gold medal. A primary-time father and his first time being arrested. A 12 months Scottie Scheffler gained’t overlook ended the easiest way doable on Sunday when he gained the FedEx Cup to cap off golf’s finest season in almost 20 years.
“If you happen to can describe it in phrases, extra energy to you,” Scheffler stated after his four-shot victory within the Tour Championship for his eighth win of the 12 months. “As a result of I don’t assume I can.”
As at all times, his golf equipment spoke volumes.
Scheffler, who led by as many as seven pictures at East Lake early within the closing spherical, almost hit a tee shot out-of-bounds on No. 7 for bogey. He adopted that with a shank from the bunker on the reachable par-4 eighth that led to a different bogey. His lead was down to 2 pictures over Collin Morikawa.
Going through the par-3 ninth, a gap that had yielded solely 9 birdies all week, Scheffler hit 4-iron to five toes for the primary of three straight birdies that despatched him to a 4-under 67 and the FedEx Cup trophy with its $25 million prize, the richest in golf.
“All I’m making an attempt to do is hit shot,” he stated. “This 12 months, I’ve been ready to try this lots.”
The victory pushed his season earnings, together with bonuses, to only beneath $62.3 million.
It was the best 12 months since Tiger Woods gained eight instances in 2006, together with six in a row and two majors, all whereas coping with the demise of his father. Scheffler’s eight wins included the Masters, The Gamers Championship, an Olympic gold medal and the Tour Championship that enabled him to lastly declare the FedEx Cup.
His seven PGA Tour titles are probably the most since Woods in 2007.
“We’ll look again on 2024 and it’s clearly among the best particular person years {that a} participant has had for a very long time,” Rory McIlroy stated.
Adam Scott, who tied for fourth within the FedEx Cup, turned professional in the course of the peak of Woods in 2000 and didn’t draw back from the comparisons Scheffler has created due to his constant stage of contending.
“I feel it’s on par with these nice years of Tiger’s,” Scott stated. “I feel it’s very laborious in the present day for anybody to separate themselves as a lot as Scottie has. I don’t assume we’ve seen that in a very long time. I feel it’s more durable to do it in the present day.”
Scheffler took the drama out of the ultimate hour — 4 of his wins this 12 months have been by three pictures or extra — and eventually set free a “WOOO!!” as he stepped inside to signal his card. He hoisted two huge trophies, the silver FedEx Cup and his 4-month-old son, Bennett.
Nevertheless it was laborious work.
This was the third straight 12 months Scheffler got here to East Lake as the highest seed, that means he began the event at 10-under par with a two-shot lead. Two years in the past, he misplaced a six-shot lead within the closing spherical to McIlroy.
He has been PGA Tour participant of the 12 months the final two seasons, leaving with out the FedEx Cup trophy. “It positively leaves a nasty style in your mouth on the finish of the 12 months,” he stated.
Scheffler was decided for that to not be the case, although it bought dicey as storm clouds started to threaten. Most harrowing was the two-shot swing on No. 8, when Morikawa pumped his fist with a birdie as Scheffler’s shank led to a bogey.
After which it was over.
After his birdie on the ninth, Scheffler hit wedge to three toes on No. 10 for birdie, after which swirled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eleventh.
“He’s not going to only beginning making bogeys after that,” Morikawa stated. “He’s going to do the other and he’s going to start out hitting golf pictures. It virtually introduced his focus again in for a half second, and that’s one thing you may’t train.”
Similar to that, his lead was again to 5 pictures. And when he holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the 14th gap, it was a matter of attending to the end line to have fun.
Scheffler solely completed out of the highest 10 3 times in his 19 begins. He had a pair of runner-up finishes to go together with seven PGA Tour titles.
“He’s the man to beat each single week,” Justin Thomas stated. “I don’t assume individuals perceive how laborious that’s to do, whenever you’re anticipated to win, whenever you’re the favourite to win, when each single factor you’re doing is being checked out — good and unhealthy — on the golf course, and the way laborious it’s to get in your personal little zone and personal little world and actually simply quiet the noise.”
Morikawa, the No. 7 seed who began the event six pictures behind, closed with a 66 and had the bottom rating of the Tour Championship at 22-under 262. He gained $12.5 million for ending second within the FedEx Cup.
“Six pictures behind was laborious towards the perfect participant on this planet,” Morikawa stated. “I attempted.”
Sahith Theegala, who referred to as a two-shot penalty on himself Saturday for probably brushing a small quantity of sand on a bunker shot, closed with a 64 and completed third. He completed two pictures behind Morikawa and earned a $7.5 million bonus for third place.
And to assume it was simply over 5 months in the past when Scheffler was questioned about his placing, and he was arising on a full 12 months since his final PGA Tour title (he gained the unofficial Hero World Problem within the Bahamas).
His season earnings of $29,228,356 represented about 9.2% of the $317.4 million whole purse from tournaments he performed. Woods gained $10,867,052 in 2007, about 9.7% of $112.5 million in whole prize cash.
Woods gained about 11.6% of the whole prize cash in tournaments he performed throughout 2000, nonetheless thought to be one of many nice seasons ever.
The $25 million FedEx Cup prize is unofficial, as is the $8 million Scheffler obtained from the “Comcast Enterprise High 10” for main the common season.
The FedEx Cup trophy felt precious in its personal proper, an ideal finish to an astonishing season.
“It’s been a really eventful 12 months,” Scheffler stated, “nevertheless it’s been actually enjoyable.”