Great Scott(ie)!
Scottie Scheffler won for the third time this season, and this one made him the #1 golfer in the world.
Six weeks ago Scottie Scheffler had 0 tour wins in 70 career PGA starts.
Now Scheffler has 3 tour wins in 75 career starts after winning the Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on Sunday…and with the $2.1 million in earnings from his win this weekend, he also has $6.2 million more in his bank account.
Perhaps more importantly, the University of Texas graduate rocketed from 14th in the Official World Golf Rankings all the way to 1st — with The Masters looming in a matter of days.
“I never got that far in my dreams,” Scheffler said in the trophy ceremony before wiping away tears. “I just play golf. I love competing. I'm happy to be out here, you know?”
By reaching the No. 1 player in the world milestone by the age of 25, he joins an elite group consisting of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm to do so.
Golf. An entire industry is dedicated to improving your golf game. Gadgets purchased at 11 pm after a viewing of an infomercial end up in garage sales or the garbage can three months later because this game is incredibly hard. World No. 1s completely lose their games and take years to find it again, or never find it again. Top players go entire years without winning a single tournament.
But now Scottie Scheffler has three wins in six weeks and has ascended to the status of best player in the world — six years after attending this event as a fan in a famous picture.
What’s next?
There is that first major win that he still chases (it seems ridiculous to use “still” in that sentence). That seems a mere formality, after all he has six Top-20 finishes in majors in nine career starts (including four Top-10 finishes).
Wherever the road takes him, don’t expect the man to change.
“Maybe y'all's expectations of me (will rise). I don't place too many expectations on myself,” Scheffler said. “Like I said, I just like being out here and competing. I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to do that, and I look forward to doing it for as long as I can.”
Hook ‘em, Scottie.