2024 PGA TOUR: SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER CONTINUES HIS WINNING STREAK AT RBC HERITAGE

Even champions fear the weather gods, as disruptions can trigger meltdowns in golf. So, when Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 RBC Heritage champion, braced for a Monday finish at the Harbour Town Golf Links, he was mindful of what he had to do on the 15th green late on Sunday, April 21, before walking away for the day. Originally slated to take place from April 18 to 21, the final round of the 2024 RBC Heritage was suspended and postponed to Monday, April 22, due to inclement weather.

Given where Scheffler stood with a commanding five-shot lead and three holes to play, it all seemed a formality — but a warrior never leaves anything to chance. Chasing a fourth win in five starts this season, Monday awaited Scheffler’s signature to dominating yet another week on the PGA Tour, but it’s never over till the final putt rolls in.

Even before he reached the 15th green, Scheffler knew a Monday appearance was required, and he could have marked his ball and returned to complete the hole. But champions believe in living in the present, and of late Scheffler has been synonymous with momentum. And he certainly didn’t disappoint at the South Carolina PGA event.

Scottie Scheffler’s crucial putt at 2024 RBC Heritage

In Sunday’s fading light, making the par putt on the 15th wasn’t an easy deal, but Scheffler, quite like his 2024 season, was confident about the buildup to the putt. “I hit a really nice shot in there, so I felt I had good momentum. I knew what the putt was doing. Today (Sunday) was a day where I hit a lot of really good putts and they weren’t really dropping. I felt like I was due for one to drop. So, I figured might as well hit it now,” he said.

With a mindset that treats Monday finishes — no matter how brief they are — as another round of 18 holes after reset, Scheffler wanted to give himself the perfect platform to finish off proceedings, and what better way than to slay the challenge of putting in fast-dropping visibility.

Then at 20-under, Scheffler was lurking near the tournament scoring record of 22-under, and though he steered clear of that talk, that putt in the dark was his way of showing intent.

“The conditions are going to be pretty tough tomorrow (Monday) morning. That may be why also I was thinking about hitting that putt. The wind is supposed to pick up, it’ll be a challenging last few holes,” he said.

Starting Sunday with an eagle, and following up with two birdies, making that putt was also about going to bed with the satisfaction of keeping a clean card. That may not have been the case after the bad break on the 15th fairway. “I haven’t had to hit a shot like that (on the fairway) in a long time, there must have been mud on the bottom of the ball, so the par was pretty important, just being able to go to sleep and still keeping a clean card.”

The way Monday panned out, Scheffler stood vindicated with his stand of going with the flow on Sunday. The five-shot lead thinned to three as Sahith Theegala surged to finish at 16-under 268 (66, 67, 67, 68) and Scheffler’s desire to present a bogey-free card was undone by the dropped shot on the 72nd hole.

Growing mentally

There was no time to ponder on the final-hole blip, what stood out was Scheffler’s positive attitude while handling the negative stuff on the golf course. The slow start to the week here was one more instance of Scheffler’s can-do spirit.

“I’m proud of how quickly I’ve been kind of fighting back from those little mistakes throughout the round and handling the surprises and stuff when it doesn’t really go as planned. I think I’ve become better at managing that,” he said after finishing with a final score of 19-under 265 (69, 65, 63, 68).

As has been the case since Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month, the win triggered another series of firsts. Not since Bernhard Langer in 1985, had a player won the Masters and the week after at the RBC Heritage, and Scheffler attributed it to how he has felt mentally on the golf course the past month.

With his wife Meredith expected to deliver the couple’s first child anytime now, the preparations to the week weren’t in sync with Scheffler’s regular routine, but arriving rested took care of a lot of things. The past four starts reading Win, Win, T2, Win, the understanding of the right things in play and that winning mindset ensured that the 10th career title came in a run that began with the win at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open.

For the second time this season (after the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship), Scheffler won back-to-back weeks, so when asked if he was surprised by this glorious run, the world no. 1 golfer was nonchalant.

“I do have fairly high expectations for myself, and when I show up at tournaments, I try to do my best. I’ve talked a lot about kind of the preparation and what it takes for me to show up on a first tee ready to go, and I feel like I’ve been putting in the work and been playing some good golf, and it’s nice to be seeing some results for that with wins.

“At times last year I felt like I was playing some good golf and wasn’t winning, and so now it’s nice to be sitting here winning some tournaments,” he said.

Life’s next chapter

After a high like the Masters, there was speculation that the dad-to-be would stay away this week, but like his roadmap to winning tournaments, Scheffler made it clear that playing the RBC Heritage was always part of the plan.

Now that’s done and dusted, it’s time for family to take centre stage, and for him to focus on the next chapter in life — parenthood.

The values instilled by his parents have played a part in Scheffler becoming the champion he is, and he is now banking on them to show the way as the couple gets ready to welcome their first child. “I’ll definitely be leaning on my parents for a good amount of advice. They did a great job raising me and my three sisters. They’re still a big part of our lives.”

Trending the right way

Sahith Theegala’s T45 finish at the Masters last week was a dampener, but the ball striking through the week of the season’s first Major was a standout feature.

The Indian American, who broke through at the Fortinet Championship last year, opines it is the short game, his traditional strength, that is holding him back.

The RBC Heritage is an indication that his feel on the greens is getting better, and Theegala is confident that he is “very close to putting it all together and really being in contention”.

Despite finishing sole second for the second time this season, Theegala hadn’t been hopeful about winning. Scheffler being “so far ahead” was one reason, while the other factor was Theegala’s concern about his short game. “This is crazy because [my short game] has been there for me my whole life, and I know it’s going to come back to me. I’m just going to keep putting in the work with that”.

The bigger part of the season awaits, and the fifth top-10 of 2024 is reason enough for optimism for the 26-year-old.

Working up numbers

Wyndham Clark is making the right decisions this season as he gets ready to defend his title at the US Open in June, and what better way than to notch serious FedExCup points, and prize money at the PGA Tour’s Signature events.

Clark began by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his second career win, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational (2nd) and Players Championship (T2) proved beyond doubt that the 30-year-old is one for the big stage.

The tie for the third spot at the 2024 RBC Heritage, the 15-under 269 powered by the 6-under 65 on Sunday, was towards setting himself up for the remainder of the season.

“It’s huge. The points (in a Signature event) are big and obviously the money is nice, but everyone is trying to chase Scottie and he’s making really tough because he keeps winning. Second, being second or third in the points list is big and that’s huge for me. It’s one really good week and hopefully propels me for the rest of the year,” said Clark.

Check out more 2024 PGA Tour coverage here.

(Main and featured image: Jared C. Tilton/ Getty Images)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– Who won the 2024 RBC Heritage?

In the PGA Tour’s second Monday finish of 2024, Scottie Scheffler completed a three-shot win over Sahith Theegala at the RBC Heritage.

– How many wins does Scottie Scheffler have in 2024?

After winning back-to-back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler did a repeat at the Masters and RBC Heritage.

– What were the highlights of Scottie Scheffler’s victory at 2024 RBC Heritage?

Since Bernhard Langer’s feat in 1985, Scottie Scheffler became the first to win the Masters Tournament and RBC Heritage off consecutive weeks. After Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh, Scheffler became the third player to win or finish runner-up in five consecutive weeks.

– How much prize money did Scottie Scheffler win at the RBC Heritage?

Among the PGA Tour’s Signature events with a prize purse of USD 20 million, Scheffler won USD 3.6 million and 700 FedExCup points to buttress his World No 1 and top FedExCup ranking.

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