Scottie Scheffler won The American Express at PGA West on Sunday, starting 2026 on the right foot. He is now the third player with 20 wins and four majors before turning 30 years old. One of Scheffler's playing partners on Sunday was 18-year-old Blades Brown, who detailed what it was like to play on the PGA Tour with the world's top player.
A pinch-me moment.
Blades Brown on playing with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the final group at just 18 years old. pic.twitter.com/THjzzpf8mH
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) January 26, 2026
“I mean, getting to play with Scottie Scheffler in a final group at 18 years old, I had to pinch myself a couple of times just to make sure this was real. I'd say one of the coolest things I learned today was how underrated Scottie Scheffler's short game is. To see it in person, and to look at the trajectory, the control, the spin that he has with his wedges and his short game, obviously, his putting is insane too, was really cool to watch. So, I'm definitely going to go and work on that.”
Scheffler shot a 66 on Sunday to win his first event of the season in his first start of the season. The expectations for him in 2026 are sky high, with the career Grand Slam in his sights at the US Open. But the story of Friday's round was Brown, who is one of the hot prospects on the scene.
Brown has already turned professional and won't be playing college golf. On Friday, he shot a 60, with a putt at 59, which has only been accomplished 14 times in PGA Tour history. He finished 18th on the week, which will make his season much easier financially. He did, however, miss a putt on Sunday that would have put him in the top ten, earning him more exemptions.
Brown can learn a lot from Scheffler's round on Sunday. He won by four with a six-under 66, picking up his seventh win in his last 13 starts. Despite a double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 2, Scheffler made easy work of the field on Sunday. Brown has a bright future ahead of him, as evidenced by Friday's round, and has something to work on after watching Scheffler.




















