Scottie Scheffler dominates in British Open victory

PORTRUSH, Northern Eire (AP) — The big yellow scoreboard above the 18th inexperienced at Royal Portrush completely illustrated the state of golf today. Scottie Scheffler’s identify was on the prime. Nobody was shut.

That’s the way it was within the British Open on Sunday, when Scheffler by no means gave anybody an opportunity from the time his 9-iron settled a foot away for birdie on the primary gap till he tapped in for a 3-under 68 and a four-shot victory over Harris English.

That’s how it’s within the sport, a stage of dominance not seen since Tiger Woods.

“He’s the bar that we’re all attempting to get to,” Masters champion Rory McIlroy mentioned. “In a historic context, you could possibly argue that there’s solely perhaps two or three gamers within the historical past of the sport which have been on a run the one which Scottie’s been on right here for the final 24 to 36 months. Extremely spectacular.”

Scheffler not solely received his second main this yr — and fourth within the final three years — he captured the third leg of the profession Grand Slam, now lacking solely the U.S. Open.

He grew to become the primary participant in additional than a century to win his first fourth main title by not less than three pictures, and if not for his lone blunder from a bunker on the eighth gap when he had a seven-shot lead, he would have performed bogey-free on the weekend.

“Having the ability to stroll up 18 with the event in hand is a extremely powerful factor to explain. It’s a extremely cool feeling. I’ve a whole lot of gratitude in the direction of with the ability to accomplish one thing like this,” Scheffler mentioned, the silver claret jug on the desk subsequent to him.

“It’s taken a whole lot of work — not solely a whole lot of work, but it surely takes a whole lot of persistence,” he mentioned. “It’s a excessive stage of focus over 72 holes of a event. This was, I felt like, considered one of my finest performances mentally.”

The feelings he confirmed have been telling.

Till he had his identify etched on golf’s oldest trophy, Scheffler had per week marked by his extraordinary perception on how he views successful. He mentioned celebrations final only some minutes. He has puzzled, “What’s the purpose?”

He loves the work required to be the very best. He thrives on competitors. However when it comes to success, he usually questions why he needs to win so badly when the fun of successful is fleeting.

On the golf course, his largest fist pump was for a par on the sixth gap. As he crouched to line up his birdie putt on the 18th, he rested his head on his hand with a slight smile of deep satisfaction. When he tapped within the ultimate putt, he plucked the ball from the cup and put it in his pocket as if he had simply received an everyday PGA Tour occasion.

However when he lastly discovered his household — spouse Meredith, 15-month-old son Bennett, and his dad and mom — Scheffler went loopy. He thrust each arms within the air, pumped each arms, screamed and threw his cap within the air. That’s what it’s all about for the 29-year-old from Texas.

“She’s at all times the primary individual I wish to have fun with,” he mentioned. “She is aware of me higher than anyone. That’s my finest buddy. It takes a whole lot of work to have the ability to grow to be good at this recreation, and I wouldn’t have the ability to do it with out her help.”

McIlroy had referred to the end result as “inevitable” when Scheffler constructed a four-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical, and it was each little bit of that.

The faucet-in birdie on the primary gap. An excellent strategy between two knobs to 7 toes for birdie on the fourth. A 15-foot birdie on No. 5. Most telling was his largest celebration, a robust fist pump when he made a 15-foot par putt on No. 6.

It was harking back to when Woods saved his largest fist pump for a par on the sixteenth gap of his historic 15-shot victory at Pebble Seashore within the 2000 U.S. Open, when it was clear Woods was competing primarily towards himself.

That’s what it felt like till Scheffler’s one wobble a double bogey on No. 8 when it took two pictures to get out of a fairway bunker.

That ended his streak of 32 consecutive holes and not using a bogey. The lead was all the way down to 4 pictures when Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup birdied the ninth. After which Scheffler birdied the subsequent gap. He performed the again 9 with eight pars and a birdie as a result of that’s all he wanted. Nobody might catch him.

“I performed with him the primary two days, and truthfully I believed he was going to birdie each gap. It was unimaginable to look at,” Shane Lowry mentioned. “If Scottie’s toes stayed steady and his swing seemed like Adam Scott’s, we’d be speaking about him in the identical phrases as Tiger Woods. … His dangerous pictures are actually good. That’s when you realize he’s actually good.”

Scheffler, who completed at 17-under 267, received for the fourth time this yr. He now has received 20 instances worldwide within the final 30 months. This was the eleventh straight time he turned a 54-hole lead right into a victory.

“I don’t assume we thought {the golfing} world would see somebody as dominant as Tiger come by means of so quickly, and right here’s Scottie form of taking that throne of dominance,” mentioned Xander Schauffele, the defending champion who tied for seventh.

“You’ll be able to’t even say he’s on a run. He’s simply been killing it for over two years now,” he mentioned. “He’s a troublesome man to beat, and whenever you see his identify up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”

English capped off a memorable two weeks in the UK. His caddie of eight years couldn’t get a brand new journey visa due to a 10-year jail time period he served twenty years in the past. English had a alternative final week on the Scottish Open and one other this week.

It didn’t cease him. English closed with a 66 and was runner-up in a serious for the second time this yr — each instances to Scheffler — as he strengthened his case for the Ryder Cup staff.

“The one man to beat me on the PGA and this week. I’m taking part in some good golf,” English mentioned. “I wasn’t taking part in skilled golf when Tiger was at his peak. But it surely’s fairly unimaginable, simply how good of a front-runner he’s.”

Li Haotong of China (70), Matt Fitzpatrick (69) and Wyndham Clark (65) tied for fourth. That will get Li into the Masters subsequent yr.

As for McIlroy, there have been few complaints. He wanted an electrical begin like he had Saturday and was eight pictures behind an hour into the ultimate spherical. Irrespective of. The Masters champion soaked up adulation throughout Royal Portrush, closing with a 69 to tie for seventh.

“I want I had have been nearer to Scottie going into as we speak and been in a position to make an actual push,” McIlroy mentioned. “However he’s been on a special stage all week and he’s been on a special stage for the final two years to the remainder of us. He’s the bar that we’re all attempting to get to at this level.

“However for me to be in entrance of everybody right here at dwelling and to get that reception up the final, completely unimaginable. I’ll do not forget that for a very long time.”

The one stumble from Scheffler got here from his 15-month-old son, who tried to stroll up a slope to the 18th inexperienced towards his dad and the claret jug, solely to face-plant.

“I don’t assume he’s ever been up a hill that massive earlier than,” Scheffler mentioned with amusing.

That additionally goes for gamers chasing Scheffler.