Scottie Scheffler went 58 tournaments over greater than two years between getting a PGA Tour card and getting his first win on the Phoenix Open. That turned out to be just the start of a yr that topped all others in golf.
A month later, Scheffler went to No. 1 on the planet. Two weeks after that, he turned a significant champion by profitable the Masters. And on Saturday, he capped off his exceptional rise when he was introduced because the PGA Tour Participant of the Yr.
The one shock was Scheffler’s. He obtained the Jack Nicklaus Award throughout an look on ESPN’s School GameDay in Austin, Texas. Scheffler graduated from the McCombs College of Enterprise at Texas with a finance diploma in 4 years with out going to summer time faculty.
He was on stage with the Texas golf staff, which received the NCAA title this yr, when Longhorns coach John Fields introduced him what was described as a particular present. It was the bronze trophy, and the followers started chanting his title.
“That is fairly cool,” Scheffler mentioned, choking up. “I haven’t got a lot to say. I positively was not anticipating that. But it surely means lots to me.”
Scheffler can do lots in a brief period of time as soon as he will get going.
He turned the primary participant because the awards started in 1990 to win participant of the yr on the Korn Ferry Tour, rookie of the yr on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour participant of the yr award, all in a span of 4 seasons.
The award is a vote of PGA Tour members who performed in no less than 15 tournaments. Scheffler obtained 89% of the vote, topping Open champion Cam Smith and FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy, each of whom received thrice and path him on the planet rating.
The Masters was Scheffler’s fourth win in six tournaments, and though he did not win the remainder of the season, he was by no means far-off. His shut buddy Sam Burns beat him in a playoff on the Colonial. He completed 1 shot behind Matt Fitzpatrick on the U.S. Open.
And he almost completed the season with the FedEx Cup till McIlroy tracked him down within the closing spherical of the Tour Championship. Scheffler needed to accept a tie for second and a $5.75 million bonus. He additionally received a $4 million bonus for main the FedEx Cup within the common season — he was No. 1 the ultimate 23 weeks of the season — and a $1 million bonus from the Aon Threat-Reward Problem.
His earnings within the common season had been a report $14,046,910, giving him whole earnings from his efficiency at simply wanting $25 million.
“One of many highest compliments a participant can obtain is the endorsement from his friends, and the truth that Scottie’s season was each dominant and constant spoke volumes to the membership,” commissioner Jay Monahan mentioned through an announcement.
Smith’s three victories got here on the Sentry Match of Champions, the Gamers Championship and The Open at St. Andrews, the place he shot 30 on the again 9 within the closing spherical.
McIlroy received the CJ Cup in Las Vegas final fall, the RBC Canadian Open in June and the Tour Championship. He was the one participant to complete within the high 10 in all 4 majors and captured the FedEx Cup for the third time.
Even so, McIlroy may admire the yr Scheffler had.
“He deserves this possibly greater than I deserve it. He performed an unbelievable season,” McIlroy mentioned. “Hell of a participant, hell of a competitor. Even higher individual. Love his household.”
