Scheffler never pulled away Sunday, but he did just enough to claim another trophy and massive check
By Kyle Porter
• 1 min read
It is not that Scottie Scheffler's game is without its holes; it's simply that, when they emerge, Scheffler possesses plenty of plugs for them. Scheffler (-8) did exactly that over the weekend at Muirfield Village en route to his fifth PGA Tour victory of the season, a one-shot win over Collin Morikawa at the 2024 Memorial Tournament.
It was a familiar scene for Morikawa, who also played in the final Sunday pairing alongside Scheffler at the 2024 Masters. Scheffler won that one, too. This time around, it was a bit closer as Scheffler left the door open a handful of times during a punishing day in which the average score ballooned to nearly 75.
Scheffler shot 74, one better than that average and enough to defeat Morikawa to become the fastest golfer to reach five wins in a PGA Tour season since Tom Watson in 1980.
His play this week showcased not only the depth but the breadth of Scheffler's gifts. When his driver failed him, as it did Saturday when he hit a ball out of bounds on the par-4 9th hole (ultimately just the fifth triple bogey of his career), he was buoyed by the best approach game on the planet and a course management skillset that rivals anybody from the last 25 years.
When Scheffler left himself 16 feet for par Sunday on the par-3 16th hole -- with the tournament lingering in the balance -- he put the ball right in the center and one hand on the trophy. He needed it, too, as he made bogey on the next hole.
A player can get by and even win on the PGA Tour with one elite skill. But what if you have ... all of them?
In 2024, Scheffler has emerged as the best driver in the world and the best iron player in the world; he also ranks second behind only Hideki Matsuyama in strokes gained around the green, according to Data Golf. Throw in the course management and his toughness -- both mental and physical -- and even when you don't get his best stuff, you receive a floor of play that is far beyond most of the other best players in the world.
Sunday's victory was right out of Tiger Woods' playbook. (In fact, Scheffler became the first golfer since Woods in 2001 to win The Players Championship, the Masters and the Memorial in the same season.) Like Tiger, he built up an advantage over the first the first 54 holes and defended the trophy coming home. You don't have to win every event by 10 shots, and Scheffler used to his advantage everything he gained over the first 54 holes at the Memorial.
The result is five -- count 'em, five! -- wins in his last eight PGA Tour starts. Scheffler joins Justin Thomas (2017), Jason Day and Jordan Spieth (2015) as the only golfers to win 5+ over the last 10 years. Scheffler now has about three months to surpass them and potentially with an outside shot of joining the short list of 10 men who have won eight times or more in a single PGA Tour season.
Scheffler also blew past his all-time record of PGA Tour earnings in a single season record by collecting $4 million for this victory. He now sits at just over $24 million, about $3 million beyond what he earned a year ago.
Now, Scheffler marches to Pinehurst as a Tiger Woods-ian 3-1 favorite to win the U.S. Open. That's fitting, too. Because we have seen bits and pieces of greatness in these categories since Tiger returned from his apex around 2010, but we have not seen the full package since then like we have this season (and last season, too) with Scheffler. Grade: A+
Here are the rest of our grades for the 2024 Memorial Tournament.
2. Collin Morikawa (-7):After a slow start to the year, Morikawa has been sneaky-good over the last two months. Every start beginning with the Masters has been a top 25, and he's now played in the final pairing on Sunday at the Masters, the PGA Championship and the Memorial. He's not really being talked about for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, but he absolutely should be. U.S. Opens should be the perfect major championship for his style, and every part of his game has been clicking. There's no shame in losing to Scheffler, and Morikawa seems close to PGA Tour win No. 7 (and perhaps major No. 3).Grade: A
T15. Viktor Hovland (+2):It was a tale of two tournaments for Hovland, who played his first 43 holes in 8 under and his last 29 in 10 over. Though his approach play was excellent all week, that volatility -- especially in his short game -- does not bode well for next week's U.S. Open. Hovland still seems to be mostly back, but this week was a bit of a check on the fact that he's not quite playing at the level that led to him winning the FedEx Cup nearly a year ago. He's close -- certainly closer than he was -- but clearly a step or two behind the end of 2023 edition of himself.Grade: B-
MC. Jordan Spieth (+5):Are you panicked? I'm not panicked. Are you panicked? (OK, I'm maybe a little bit panicked.) Spieth missed the cut at the Memorial, which was a bit difficult to do. Since his T6 at the Phoenix Open in February, Spieth has a DQ, five missed cuts, and just one top 25 finish. What's not working? He's been just average at everything other than driver (a bit shocking). I've never been more sure of anything than I am that Spieth will not come close to winning the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.Grade: D-
Rick Gehman, Kyle Porter, Greg DuCharme and Mark Immelman recap the Memorial Tournament and give you your first preview of the U.S. Open! Follow & listen to The First Cut onApple PodcastsandSpotify.
