Scottie Scheffler has had a ridiculous season. He received 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 perpetually.
He received over $62 million this season alone. However essentially the most absurd second of his 2024 PGA Tour season got here on Friday morning, Could 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 baby, Bennett, who entered the world on Could 8. It’s been a whirlwind for the World No. 1, as he has drawn comparisons to Tiger Woods whereas receiving recognition for having probably the greatest seasons ever. Little doubt he has. So, on the eve of the Presidents Cup, Scheffler described this loopy season in a manner that solely he can.
“I really feel like generally I’m nearly residing in a simulation out right here,” Scheffler stated.
“I nonetheless really feel like a child generally 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 residing. I married the lady I dated in highschool, and we’ve a child now, which might be much more surreal. We nonetheless have the identical buddies 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 largest occasions, such because the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the RBC Heritage, the place the very best participant emerged with the trophy on the finish. You may say the identical factor concerning 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.
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But, Scheffler realizes that seven wins in a season—eight should you rely the gold medal—not often comes, if ever, not to mention in a sport with so many variables, unfortunate breaks, and prospects.
“Generally the breaks go your manner on this recreation, and generally they don’t. You recognize, 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 bought beat. So that may occur,” Scheffler stated.
“Generally, the breaks fall your manner, 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 generally may help. I keep 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.
“Generally, it’s an vital putt or a little bit break right here or there, and loads of instances this 12 months, I felt like I made the putts after 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, closing spherical at The Gamers, I made loads of putts that weren’t essentially on the 18th inexperienced, however loads of putts that have been vital to maintain momentum within the spherical going. In years previous, possibly these putts went in generally, however this 12 months, I felt like, for essentially the most half, I made loads of these putts after I wanted to.”
On the finish of the day, each golf event 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 fully modified the course of historical past. He rattled off a season of epic proportions afterward, one that folks will discuss for many years to return.
Bear in mind when everybody knocked Scheffler for his poor placing in January and February? Nicely, these days are lengthy gone. He is probably not the very best putter on tour now, however he’s not among the many worst. He hits the ball so effectively 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 once they matter most. He did that. He made so many huge putts from March by August, making it appear that Scheffler simulated his manner by golf tournaments, tantalizing {the golfing} world whereas etching his title additional into the report books.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
