NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler returned from a two-month break and nothing modified. He gained the Hero World Problem on Sunday with a 9-under 63 to tie the match report at Albany Golf Membership and win by six photographs.
Scheffler, the primary participant since Tiger Woods in 2009 to spend a whole calendar 12 months at No. 1 on this planet, 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 appeared 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 match 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 match has been held within the Bahamas.
Jordan Spieth holds the match data for 72-hole rating (262) and margin (10 photographs) the one 12 months it was held at Isleworth in 2014.
“Very satisfying,” Scheffler stated. “I did plenty of good things at present on the course. It feels good to take a break and are available again and proceed to play some actually strong golf.”
Already one of the best in golf, Scheffler introduced a brand new “claw” placing grip to the Hero World Problem 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 towards a 20-man area.
“He actually would not do something improper,” match host Woods stated within the NBC sales space in the course of the last spherical.
What reminded Woods of his personal nice run — and there was plenty of them for Woods — was how few errors Scheffler makes throughout a spherical or a match. 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 effectively sufficient. He additionally dropped two early photographs on the par 3s and twice had duffed chips, one among them on the par-5 ninth that saved 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 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.
Nonetheless 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 successful the unofficial match. That was his smallest paycheck of the 12 months for successful aside 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 instances, when the match was held at Sherwood Nation Membership.
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Kim lives in Dallas and used to play with Scheffler on a regular basis earlier than Scheffler’s spouse gave beginning to their first youngster.
“I feel the largest factor that I see is that he is all the time attempting to get higher,” Kim stated. “Regardless of successful 9 instances this 12 months, he is all the time discovering little methods and I feel it is actually, actually cool to see and you’ll take so much from that.”
Previously 40 years, Scheffler’s successful price 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 is not one thing I take into consideration each day. I play as a result of I really like the competitors,” Scheffler stated. “I like attempting to get probably the most out of myself out right here on the golf course. That is why I am all the time 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 try to get probably the most out of myself and are available out right here and compete and have an excellent perspective.”
What subsequent?
“Proceed to work on the stuff within the offseason and prepare for subsequent season,” Scheffler stated.
