Scottie Scheffler has had a ridiculous season. He gained at Augusta Nationwide, TPC Sawgrass, and East Lake. He additionally stormed from behind to win the Gold Medal in Paris, posting a final-round 62 that may stay on in Olympic lore without end.
He gained over $62 million this season alone. However essentially the most absurd second of his 2024 PGA Tour season got here on Friday morning, Might 17, when Louisville Police arrested Scheffler simply hours earlier than his second spherical of the PGA Championship. Scheffler went on to shoot a 6-under 66 that day.
He and his spouse, Meredith, additionally had a toddler, Bennett, who entered the world on Might 8. It’s been a whirlwind for the World No. 1, as he has drawn comparisons to Tiger Woods whereas receiving recognition for having the most effective seasons ever. Little doubt he has. So, on the eve of the Presidents Cup, Scheffler described this loopy season in a method that solely he can.
“I really feel like typically I’m virtually dwelling in a simulation out right here,” Scheffler mentioned.
“I nonetheless really feel like a child typically as a result of I play golf. I don’t have an actual job that I’m going to. I get to play golf for a dwelling. I married the woman I dated in highschool, and we’ve a child now, which might be much more surreal. We nonetheless have the identical pals we did 5 to 10 years in the past. Life for us at residence hasn’t modified a bit. It’s simply out right here, issues are a bit completely different.”
A simulation.
At quite a few factors this season, it has felt just like the tour simulated its greatest occasions, such because the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the RBC Heritage, the place one of the best participant emerged with the trophy on the finish. You possibly can say the identical factor in regards to the Tour Championship, the place Scheffler obliterated East Lake to win the FedEx Cup and the $25 million that got here with it. The Vacationers Championship additionally felt comparable—it appeared inevitable that Scheffler would win in Connecticut.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25639282/2174227319.jpg)
But, Scheffler realizes that seven wins in a season—eight in the event you depend the gold medal—hardly ever comes, if ever, not to mention in a sport with so many variables, unfortunate breaks, and potentialities.
“Typically the breaks go your method on this recreation, and typically they don’t. You realize, Rory’s had some shut calls. He had a playoff final week, and a man eagles the ultimate gap to beat him, and that’s a tricky deal. He didn’t lose, he acquired beat. So that may occur,” Scheffler mentioned.
“Typically, the breaks fall your method, like Tom Kim and I within the playoff at Vacationers. He birdied 18 to get into the playoff, however then he made a bogey on the playoff gap. Simply little issues like that typically will help. I bear in mind Sam Burns made a 40-footer off the perimeter a few years in the past to beat me at Colonial on a day when all of the afternoon guys struggled as a result of the winds began choosing up like loopy.
“Typically, it’s an necessary putt or a bit of break right here or there, and plenty of instances this 12 months, I felt like I made the putts once I actually wanted to. I made that 5-footer on 18 in Paris and made a bunch of putts on that again 9. I made a putt to win the Memorial on the final gap. And again 9 on the Masters, last spherical at The Gamers, I made plenty of putts that weren’t essentially on the 18th inexperienced, however plenty of putts that have been necessary to maintain momentum within the spherical going. In years previous, perhaps these putts went in typically, however this 12 months, I felt like, for essentially the most half, I made plenty of these putts once I wanted to.”
On the finish of the day, each golf match comes all the way down to placing. Outcomes are decided on the greens, and Scheffler’s 2024 season displays that. He switched to a mallet putter forward of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which utterly modified the course of historical past. He rattled off a season of epic proportions afterward, one that individuals will speak about for many years to return.
Keep in mind when everybody knocked Scheffler for his poor placing in January and February? Nicely, these days are lengthy gone. He might not be one of the best putter on tour now, however he’s not among the many worst. He hits the ball so properly from tee to inexperienced that he solely must be a mean putter anyway. The truth that he led the PGA Tour in over 40 statistical classes displays that. However he additionally must make the putts after they matter most. He did that. He made so many massive putts from March via August, making it appear that Scheffler simulated his method via golf tournaments, tantalizing {the golfing} world whereas etching his title additional into the report books.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
