World number one Scottie Scheffler claimed his fifth PGA Tour win in eight starts at the 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.
Scottie Scheffler, Jack Nicklaus
Scottie Scheffler revealed in the immediate aftermath of his fifth PGA Tour victory of the year that Jack Nicklaus told him one day he’d win the Memorial Tournament.
Scheffler started the day with a four-stroke lead over Sepp Straka and Collin Morikawa.
In the end it was Scheffler who emerged triumphant with a one-stroke win after a dogfight with his Ryder Cup teammate.
The 27-year-old Scheffler carded a final round of two-over 74 to reach eight-under par.
“I feel like I’ve had some close calls in this tournament,” Scheffler told Amanda Balionis.
“This is a tough place to close out. As you saw today the golf course was playing so tough.
“I remember shaking Mr Nicklaus’s hand a few years ago here and he told me I didn’t make the putt today but one day I’ll make the putt and be able to shake his hand and he was right.
“So that was a pretty surreal moment, to be able to shake his hand as a winner here. I’m honoured.”
Elsewhere, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg and Xander Schauffele finished inside the top-10 of the signature event.
Rory McIlroy shot a four-over 76 and finished in a tie for 15th with Viktor Hovland.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood finished 20th.
Scheffler was made to work extremely hard for his 14th PGA Tour title.
Bogeys at the fourth and eighth holes allowed the chasing pack a glimmer of hope.
Morikawa responded with a birdie at the 12th, sinking a 32 foot putt to close the gap.
But in truth Scheffler closed the door at the 16th, making a clutch 15 footer for par whilst Morikawa could only manage a bogey.
Scottie Scheffler
“16, 17 and 18 were playing brutally tough,” added Scheffler.
“It was a fun test of golf and I like it when it gets this hard.
“It was good to battle it out. Like you said, I didn’t do a whole lot great today but I did enough to get the job done.”
Scheffler will attempt to win his third major next week at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.2.
Unsurprisingly, he is the overwhelming favourite to clinch the third men’s major of the year.
