Scottie Scheffler was in no mood to give the chasing pack a glimmer of hope at Harbour Town, the World No.1 finishing off on Monday to win his tenth PGA Tour title by three strokes.
Only poor weather could stop Scheffler in his tracks on Sunday, but after holing a slippery par putt on the par-5 15th, he came back out on Monday with a five-shot lead.
No one was expecting the Masters champion to wobble – and he didn’t. After making safe pars at 16 and 17, the only blemish came on the 18th when he failed to get up-and-down from the side of the green, which led to his only single bogey of the week.
In his last five starts, Scheffler now has four victories, including the Players Championship and the Masters.
It’s the first time since 1985 that a player has followed up their Masters success with victory at the RBC Heritage, a feat managed by the great Bernhard Langer.
Scheffler, who will shortly become a father for the first time, will start next month’s PGA Championship as an overwhelming favorite.
The question is, who can stop him? His peers might be hoping a few sleepless nights changing diapers could make him less of a threat.
That, however, is probably clutching at straws.
Scheffler makes his first single bogey of the week. However, it’s a tenth PGA Tour title for the American.
We have a Rules official out for Scheffler, but he’s just getting relief having hit his ball towards the stands on 18 (a popular spot). The World No.1 takes his time before playing what, for him, is an average chip/pitch. We’re almost there, folks. Scheffler will have about 18 feet for par.
Scheffler out with the 3-wood, gripping down. He leaks it right, which is the miss to make. Can he avoid making his first bogey of the week (just one double so far)?
Scheffler finds the short stuff. Of course he does. There hasn’t been any sign of a wobble – not that we really expected one. Your Masters champion will shortly be crowned the champion here – another seriously impressive week.
The World No.1 makes par at 16 – just two holes to go and he has a nice cushion heading to the par-3 17th. Collin Morikawa makes a two there on what is not an easy hole. Scheffler doesn’t need to attack – but most likely will anyway.
Fair play to Sahith Theegala who birdies 16 to trim Scheffler’s lead to four.
A chip and a putt and Cantlay is in the house at -15. No need to stay loose, Scheffler is going to be picking up his 10th PGA Tour title. That’s unless he has some sort of nightmare at 18. I’ve played Harbour Town and I did endure a nightmare down the last hole. I remember hooking two balls into the marshland, but then I am not Scottie Scheffler. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sign off with a birdie.
Nine out of 10 for the chip, but not a putt to match. Poston drops out of a tie for second with a bogey on 18. Meanwhile, Scheffler pumps one down the center of 16. He still has a five-shot lead.
Straka for birdie at 15… makes it from about 12 feet. Nice start from the man in the hoodie. Poston looks like he’ll get up-and-down from the side of the green at 18. Everyone, though, is going to need some help from the leader.
Scheffler did give the chasing pack a glimmer of hope late in the day. The American hit his second at the par-5 15th into the water and was then faced with a pretty awkward pitch into the green, his fourth shot. He played a stunner in the near-darkness (not quite like Tiger’s famous ‘Shot in the dark’ at Firestone) and then holed a slippery 15-footer to save par.