Subscribe
Follow Us
The last month in the life of Scottie Scheffler has had life-changing highs and shocking lows, but regardless of circumstance, the world No. 1 golfer continues to show fans and peers why he is a special talent. The Memorial Tournament served as the site of his latest conquest, one that was made much sweeter by the presence of his newborn son and a living legend.
Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer of all-time and host of the annual Columbus, Ohio, tourney, offered Scheffler a nice compliment after the two-time Masters champion overcame sloppy play and tough conditions to earn his fifth PGA win of the year.
“You're a survivor,” The Golden Bear told the victor after congratulating him, via ESPN. “Thanks,” Scheffler replied. “Yeah, you made this place brutal today.”
The 27-year-old, like most of the field, endured a rough final round at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. He tallied a 2-over 74 and watched his four-stroke lead shrink to a nervously slim margin.
Collin Morikawa tasted bitter Sunday defeat again and cruelly finished only one back of Scheffler's 8-under, following up his top-five finishes at Augusta and the PGA Championship with a solo second-place showing.
2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick and Emiliano Grillo tied for the low score of the day with a 69, illustrating the impact the harsh winds and challenging greens had on the competitors.
Nicklaus designed the course more than 50 years ago and is therefore at least partly responsible for the immense adversity Scottie Scheffler contended with on the final day of the 2024 Memorial Tournament.
Nothing appears to be deterring this history-making athlete, as he rolls into Pinehurst, N.C., with the best odds to capture the U.S. Open title.
Can Scottie Scheffler be stopped?
In a volatile game like golf, Scheffler's remarkable 2024 run is truly something to behold. He has earned 11 straight top-10 PGA Tour finishes and won five of his last eight tournaments. His latest victory comes a week and a half after the Louisville (Ky.) Police Department dropped criminal charges against him.
When Scottie Scheffler sunk the title-winning, five-foot putt on the 18th of Muirfield, he was instantly overcome with euphoria– the kind that perfectly encapsulates the emotions running through him of late and at the Memorial. Scheffler celebrated with his family and then with one of the game's foremost torchbearers.
After the former Texas Longhorns star fell a couple strokes short of claiming this prestigious event in 2021, Jack Nicklaus assured him that his Memorial moment would soon come, via ESPN. The wait finally ended this past weekend. Scottie Scheffler basked in the nostalgic bliss as he approached the 18-time major champ.
“It was pretty special thinking about that as I was walking over to shake his hand,” he said. There is little time to celebrate the feat and the $4 million purse that comes with it, however.
Scheffler looks to extend his dominant year by securing his first U.S. Open on his first Father's Day bearing the namesake's privileges and responsibilities. His competition has to be secretly wondering if there is anything that can halt his momentum.
