Home Top Stories Scheffler caps large yr in Bahamas with ninth win

Scheffler caps large yr in Bahamas with ninth win

0

NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler returned from a two-month break and nothing modified. He gained the Hero World Challenge on Sunday with a 9-under 63 to tie the event report at Albany Golf Club and win by six pictures.

Scheffler, the primary participant since Tiger Woods in 2009 to spend a whole calendar yr at No. 1 on the earth, gained for the ninth time in 21 begins, a tally that included a second Masters title, an Olympic gold medal and the FedEx Cup.

He began the ultimate spherical one shot behind Justin Thomas, took the lead on the par-5 third gap, stayed in entrance with a 50-foot birdie putt on No. 4 and by no means seemed again.

Tom Kim tried to remain shut till he missed a 19-inch par putt on the par-5 eleventh. He birdied the ultimate gap for a 68 and was runner-up when Thomas, whose faint hopes ended with a bogey on the 18th, drove into the water on the 18th for one more bogey. He shot 71 and completed third.

Scheffler completed at 25-under 263 to tie the event report at Albany first set by Bubba Watson in 2015, and his six-shot victory was the biggest within the 9 years Tiger Woods’ vacation event has been held within the Bahamas.

Jordan Spieth holds the event data for 72-hole rating (262) and margin (10 pictures) the one yr it was held at Isleworth in 2014.

“Very satisfying,” Scheffler mentioned. “I did a variety of good things right this moment on the course. It feels good to take a break and are available again and proceed to play some actually stable golf.”

Already the most effective in golf, Scheffler introduced a brand new “claw” placing grip to the Hero World Challenge in a bid to get even higher. He used the grip on putts from about 15 toes and in, and he completed the week third in the important thing placing statistic in opposition to a 20-man area.

“He actually does not do something fallacious,” event host Woods mentioned within the NBC sales space throughout the ultimate spherical.

What reminded Woods of his personal nice run — and there was a variety of them for Woods — was how few errors Scheffler makes throughout a spherical or a event. Albany was one other instance. He made solely two bogeys over 72 holes.

Thomas, whose final victory was the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, began nicely sufficient. He additionally dropped two early pictures on the par 3s and twice had duffed chips, certainly one of them on the par-5 ninth that stored him from making birdie in a bid to maintain up with Scheffler.

Scheffler had a three-shot lead with three holes to play when he made a uncommon mistake off the tee, discovering a sandy space proper of the golf green. He made clear contact out of the sand to 12 toes for birdie, whereas Thomas went simply lengthy and over the inexperienced, resulting in bogey.

Still to return for Scheffler is teaming up with Rory McIlroy in a made-for-TV match at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas on Dec. 17 to face LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.

Scheffler earned $1 million for profitable the unofficial event. That was his smallest paycheck of the yr for profitable apart from the Olympics — the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee paid gold medalists $37,500.

He joined Viktor Hovland as the one back-to-back winners at Albany. Woods gained back-to-back, and a complete of 5 occasions, when the event was held at Sherwood Country Club.

Kim lives in Dallas and used to play with Scheffler on a regular basis earlier than Scheffler’s spouse gave start to their first little one.

“I feel the most important factor that I see is that he is at all times attempting to get higher,” Kim mentioned. “Despite profitable 9 occasions this yr, he is at all times discovering little methods and I feel it is actually, actually cool to see and you may take lots from that.”

In the previous 40 years, Scheffler’s profitable charge of 43% worldwide is third behind Woods in 2006 (9 wins in 19 begins) and Woods in 2002 (10 wins in 22 begins).

“I by no means actually performed golf for legacy. That’s not one thing I take into consideration everyday. I play as a result of I really like the competitors,” Scheffler mentioned. “I like attempting to get essentially the most out of myself out right here on the golf course. That’s why I’m at all times attempting to enhance, attempting to do little issues to get higher he golf course.

“I do not take into consideration data, I do not take into consideration achievements, wins, losses, I simply attempt to get essentially the most out of myself and are available out right here and compete and have a superb perspective.”

What subsequent?

“Continue to work on the stuff within the offseason and prepare for subsequent season,” Scheffler mentioned.

Exit mobile version