COLUMBUS, OH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s the closest thing Oakmont has seen to a superstar since Tiger Woods in 2007. Woods had won The Open Championship and PGA the previous season coming in as the world’s number one player. Scottie Scheffler is that kind of hot.
Scheffler joined Woods on Sunday as the only back-to-back winners of Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament with a four-shot victory. It’s one of those events, like the Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational that are considered a fifth major because of the star-studded fields.
“This golf course like Oakmont, this is a place where if there is a weakness in your game, this course is going to expose it pretty quick,” Scheffler said.
The thing is, Scheffler doesn’t really have a weakness.
The 28-year-old is the current world number one, and has been number one for 106 consecutive weeks. It’s not to say he is Tiger, he is not even close in terms of career accomplishments. However, he’s 28, always in contention and won the last major. He also has earned the reputation as being uncatchable when he’s in the lead.
The Texan has won nine straight tournaments when leading going into the final round. He doesn’t wear red like Tiger on Sunday’s, but he is finishing like him. He’s also running away with tournaments; all three wins are by at least four shots.
“You know Scottie is probably going to play a good round of golf,” said Sepp Straka, who finished third. “The guy is relentless. He loves competition and he doesn’t like giving up shots.”
He has those moments like Woods. For example, on Sunday, Ben Griffin was four shots back and needed to make eagle on number 15. Griffin hit a beautiful shot to within 12 feet. As if stomping his foot down to squash any hope, Scheffler hit next and lasered a seven-wood that landed two feet from the hole and rolled out nearly equidistant. Even though Griffin made his putt, Scheffler birdied to keep a three-shot lead. What could have been a major swing, was one shot.
“I was pretty fired up after executing and then, shocker, he puts it in there right at the same length,” Griffin said.
Scheffler won’t dazzle you with his length off the tee like Bryson DeChambeau. He’s 68th in driving distance on the PGA Tour. He’s just the purest hitter, especially with irons, in the game. While not the best putter on Tour, he hits it so close he doesn’t have to be.
This year he’s started 12 events and finished in the top 10 in nine of them and top 25 in all. The Memorial Tournament was Scheffler’s third win. He’s coming off a 2024 season where he played in 19 events, won seven and was top 10 in 16 of them, earning PGA Tour Player of the Year honors.
As the world’s best give it a 10th run at Oakmont Country Club, Scheffler stands a level above.