Scottie Scheffler Does What Scottie Does, Wins and Captures the Elusive Tour Championship

By: Brooks Latta | 09/02/2024

It was bound to happen. Scottie Scheffler has won just about every major tournament imaginable in 2024, including six PGA Tour events and an Olympic Gold Medal. Now, you can make that seven PGA Tour events with his victory at the Tour Championship on Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

This is quite a feat for the young Scottie, who became the first player to win seven or more times in a single season since Tiger Woods in 2007. Tiger accomplished this on four occasions: 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2007. Vijay Singh achieved the feat in 2004 with nine wins.

The way Scottie keeps playing and with his game only improving, it’s easy to envision him winning seven or more times for many years to come.

Scheffler shot a final round 67 and finished -30 overall for the tournament. He was trailed by Collin Morikawa, who secured second place, four strokes back at -26 overall, after carding a 66 in his final round. Sahith Theegala finished in sole third place with an overall score of -24, shooting a 64 in his final round. Tied for fourth place were Russell Henley, Adam Scott, and Xander Schauffele, all at -19 for the tournament.

Scottie won the FedExCup for the first time after entering the Tour Championship at No. 1 in the FedExCup standings for the third consecutive year. Despite the advantage of starting the tournament with a lead due to the Tour Championship’s unique Starting Strokes format, this victory was no easy feat. The course’s difficulty, coupled with the immense pressure of having the world’s best golfers chasing him, made this win particularly challenging. Scottie became the second wire-to-wire champion since the Starting Strokes format began in 2019, following Patrick Cantlay in 2021.

It's been a magical year for Scheffler, with victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship, Masters Tournament, RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament, Travelers Championship, and finally, the Tour Championship.

Scheffler took home $25 million in the Tour Championship winner's bonus money, bringing his total earnings for the year to $62,228,357. To put that in perspective, that’s $3.3 million per tournament, $830,000 per round, and $12,000 per shot. That's just wild.

Baby Bennett must be proud!

Takeaways from the Tour Championship Press Conference

Tour Championship: One of the Longest Tournaments of the Year

Scottie noted that this tournament felt like one of the longest, for whatever reason.

When asked what it is about starting with the lead that makes this tournament feel longer, Scheffler mentioned that it’s partly due to playing with the lead. However, he emphasized that a two-shot lead isn’t much. He explained that he technically lost the lead on the first hole of the first round, as he was tied for the lead with the next players in the standings.

Scottie Cracks a Joke at Reporter Over Shank

Scottie had a notable shank on the 8th hole and followed that up with a series of birdies and an eagle. Yet, in the press conference, the shank was still a leading topic of discussion. When asked about it, Scottie gave ESPN's Mark Schlabach a witty answer, explaining that he hit it off the hosel, which caused the shank. You can see that exchange here:

It should be noted that before the press conference, Scottie Scheffler explained that this tournament had been very long for him, and some of his answers might not be as well thought out as usual. He also elaborated that he needs to work on his bunker shots in the offseason since they tend to be his weak point, though it didn’t impact the rest of his game this time.

Scottie Seems Irked That the Olympics Win Doesn't Count

Scottie joked that the Olympics win doesn’t count as a PGA Tour victory. He quipped that when he hears “seven wins,” he thinks it should really be eight.

Scottie’s Biggest Strength

Scottie highlighted that his biggest strength this year has been his attitude: “Having the right attitude, staying in there mentally, and it paid off,” he noted.

He’s Not Done

Scottie plans to take a little time off before beginning preparations for the Presidents Cup, an event that is very important to him. The Presidents Cup will feature top international and U.S. players competing for the President’s Cup Trophy at the Royal Montreal Golf Club from September 24-29.

Wrap-up

Scottie Scheffler’s victory at the 2024 Tour Championship capped off a magical season that saw him achieve incredible feats on the course. As he looks ahead to the 2025 season, all eyes will be on how his game continues to evolve, with fans eagerly anticipating even more success from the young champion.