Eight-shot victory at TPC Southwind

Scottie Scheffler turned a season of close calls into a resounding statement at the St Jude Championship, winning by eight strokes at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. The world No. 1 shot a final-round 4-under-par 66 on Sunday to finish at 17-under 263, earning $3.6 million for his 21st career PGA Tour title. Runner-up Si Woo Kim of South Korea closed with a 68.

The margin was the tournament's second-largest in the past 30 years and the largest winning gap at TPC Southwind. It was Scheffler's first victory since January, a drought that included five runner-up finishes this season.

"I felt like a week like this was coming," Scheffler said. "I felt like I was on repeat all year just being like, 'Hey, I'm playing solid. I'm close.'" He added that he had been "in a good rhythm" despite not hitting as many fairways, crediting sharp iron play and strong putting.

Scheffler birdied the 11th, 13th, and 16th holes in the final round. The victory extended his lead in the FedEx Cup playoffs, which continued the following week at the BMW Championship in St Louis, a tournament he won last year.

Frustration at Bellerive

A week after the dominant win, Scheffler's form took an unexpected turn at the BMW Championship. He opened with a 2-over-par 72, his worst score of the season, then rebounded with a 5-under 65 in the second round. But the third round at Bellerive Golf Course on Saturday proved frustrating, and a moment on the par-4 12th hole drew attention.

NUCLR Golf posted on X, "Scottie Scheffler is PISSED! 😠," alongside a video showing Scheffler missing a shot from the green, swatting the ground with his club, the club flying out of his hand, then picking it up and continuing to swing it through the grass. The miss resulted in a bogey. He had already bogeyed the 4th hole before recovering with three birdies on the front nine and another on the 11th.

The frustration came after Scheffler had admitted to dealing with a sudden health issue during the tournament, saying he was not feeling 100% and planned to rest after the round. Essentially Sports and Yardbarker both noted the health issue as a possible factor in his uncharacteristic performance.

FedEx Cup standing secure

Despite the difficult round, Scheffler's position in the FedEx Cup playoffs remains strong. He has already secured the No. 1 spot in the standings, with an impressive lead, and has guaranteed himself a place in next week's $40 million Tour Championship. At the time of reporting, he was tied for 16th at 2-under-par 68, while Wyndham Clark shared the lead with Gary Woodland.

Perspectives

  • Scheffler's perspective: After the St Jude win, Scheffler expressed relief at turning close calls into a victory, saying he felt "a week like this was coming." During the BMW Championship, he acknowledged a health issue and planned to recuperate, attributing his struggles partly to not feeling fully recovered.
  • NUCLR Golf's perspective: The outlet framed Scheffler's club-swinging moment as a sign of intense frustration, using the viral video to highlight the contrast between his recent dominance and the BMW performance.