Scottie Scheffler’s historic 2024: FedExCup win follows fatherhood, arrest, Olympic gold and PGA Tour dominance

Scottie Scheffler mentioned he had “lived almost a full lifetime this one year” after securing FedExCup victory, capping off a ‘nuts’ season – each on and off the golf course – for the world No 1.

Scheffler closed out a four-stroke victory on the season-ending Tour Championship, the place he by no means relinquished high spot at any level in the course of the 4 days and have become the primary participant since Tiger Woods in 2007 to register seven or extra victories in a 12 months on the PGA Tour.

It completes a exceptional few months for Scheffler, who grew to become a father for the primary time shortly after profitable The Masters for a second time in three years, was arrested forward of his second spherical on the PGA Championship in Could and likewise received Olympic gold in Paris.

“If you can describe it in words, more power to you, because I don’t think I can,” Scheffler advised reporters as he mirrored on his 2024 efforts, following his Tour Championship win. “It has been a long year.

“I believe emotionally proper now I am fairly drained. It has been a really eventful 12 months nevertheless it’s been actually enjoyable. You had the one bizarre spot there at Valhalla (the PGA Championship arrest), however every part else has been fairly particular.”

Scheffler had topped the FedExCup standings since profitable the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, then added additional victories the The Gamers, The Masters, RBC Heritage, Memorial Match and Vacationers Championship in the course of the common season.

The 28-year-old American earned an $8m bonus for main the Comcast Business Tour High 10 heading into the FedExCup Playoffs, the place he claimed $25m for his Tour Championship victory to take his season earnings – together with bonuses – to a staggering $62,228,357 (£47.4m).

“I felt like I was kind of gradually building towards something,” Scheffler mentioned. “I had some decent starts to the year. I had a couple top 10s to start and I was close to winning in Phoenix. Then overall I was playing really solid, so I knew I was close.

“I made some putts this 12 months once I actually wanted to, and that is why I am sitting right here with loads of wins as an alternative of some. Final 12 months I used to be enjoying good golf and I wasn’t capable of make the important thing putts on the proper time, and this 12 months I used to be. That is actually simply the distinction.

“I’m proud of the results. It’s something I try not to focus too much on, but at the end of the day, being able to win tournaments is a great feeling, and it’s what we work towards, and to be able to have as many wins as I have this year is really special.”

Scheffler added: “I feel like I’ve lived almost a full lifetime in this one year. It has been nuts. I think it just always comes back to my faith. I think that’s the thing that just keeps me grounded, keeps me in the right frame of mind.”

How Scheffler retains his focus

Scheffler took a two-shot lead into the Tour Championship and was seven forward in the course of the early levels of the ultimate spherical, earlier than recovering from seeing his benefit reduce to 2 strokes by enjoying his subsequent six holes in 5 below to reclaim management of the event.

“Just nothing fazes him,” mentioned Collin Morikawa, who performed alongside Scheffler for the ultimate three rounds at East Lake. “Whether or not I used to be shut in gaining some floor or he was gaining floor, it did not change how he walked or how he performed or how he went by means of each shot.

“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 honestly this past three years now. It’s been really cool to watch him.”

Scheffler had beforehand squandered a six-shot benefit to McIlroy on the ultimate day of the 2022 Tour Championship, though his newest win is the third occasion in a row and eighth time in 14 makes an attempt on the PGA Tour that he has transformed a 54-hole lead right into a victory.

“Just think how well he plays when he’s the guy to beat every single week,” former FedExCup champion Justin Thomas mentioned. “I don’t think people understand how hard that is to do.

“Once you’re anticipated to win, once you’re the favorite to win, when each single factor you are doing is being checked out, good and dangerous, on the golf course, and the way laborious it’s to get in your individual little zone and personal little world and really simply quiet the noise.

“It’s something that is just as much of a skill as being able to hit a driver in the fairway or an iron on-line. He’s clearly figured that out very well. All Scottie wants to do is just play the best he can and win as many tournaments as possible, and he’s doing a pretty good job of that.”

Consistency key for Scheffler?

Scheffler has been one of the best participant on the earth from tee-to-green, together with his 2023 whole one of the best seen since Woods in 2006 and his 2.456 strokes gained in that metric final season almost a stroke higher than another participant on the PGA Tour.

Solely inconsistency on the greens prevented him from being a extra prolific winner in the course of the second half of 2023 and the early a part of this 12 months, earlier than a swap to a mallet-style putter in March helped add one other ingredient to Scheffler’s recreation.

“It just seems like he’s basically doing what he did last year, just putting probably a little bit more consistently,” former FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland mentioned. “When you hit it as good as he does every single week and you start making some putts, you’re going to be very difficult to beat.”

The swap of putter was initially advised by Rory McIlroy earlier within the season, with the four-time main winner impressed by Scheffler’s low scoring and skill to restrict errors.

“The one thing I’ve always admired about Scottie is the amount of bogey-free rounds he shoots,” McIlroy mentioned. “You simply return during the last two, three years and also you have a look at what number of rounds that he’ll shoot like 4 below par, no bogeys.

“It doesn’t look spectacular at all, but it’s just so solid. He doesn’t really put himself out of position. When you don’t make a ton of bogeys, the field has got to do something really special to keep up.”

A Tiger-esque season from Scheffler?

Scheffler has been fast to minimize comparisons with Woods at a number of factors this season, however his sustained brilliance has produced numbers and consistency not seen because the 15-time main champion in his prime.

On whether or not Scheffler’s 2024 efficiency is one of the best seen since Woods, former world No 1 Adam Scott mentioned: “I believe that is honest. I believe all of the stats again that up. I believe that the outcomes again it up. It has been fairly unbelievable.

“I think it is on par with those great years of Tiger’s. It’s very hard today for anyone to separate themselves as much as Scottie has. I don’t think we’ve seen that in a long time.”

Scheffler’s FedExCup success got here after getting into the Tour Championship high of the standings for the third consecutive 12 months, together with his 13 PGA Tour wins thus far coming in simply over a two-and-a-half-year interval.

“I think by the definition of dominance, I think that’s literally where he’s sitting,” mentioned Xander Schauffele, who began the Tour Championship as his closest challenger for FedExCup victory after two main victories in 2024.

“Since I’ve been out [on the PGA Tour], I think Dustin [Johnson] had a run, Brooks [Koepka] had a run, Jon [Rahm] had a run, Rory [McIlroy] had a run. But they were kind of punching back and forth between one, two and three.

“Scottie has been on the tip-top of the mountain for 2 full years now it appears.”

Woods’ dominance lasted a generation. Scheffler still has some way to go if he’s going to match those efforts, but he’s on the right trajectory to continue his dominance for many seasons to come.

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