Scottie Scheffler secured his third PGA Tour win of the season, in his last four starts, with a successful title defence at the Memorial Tournament, catapulting his name once again among the game’s all-time greats.
Fittingly, tournament host Jack Nicklaus – the record 18-time major winner – was in attendance for Scheffler’s victory on Sunday, which also saw him become the first player since Tiger Woods (three straight, 1999-2001) to win back-to-back editions of the event.
Scheffler’s 16th PGA Tour triumph, 10 of those coming since the start of 2024, has also added to the speculation that the three-time major winner could one day match Nicklaus’ tally, rival Woods’ 15 or maybe overhaul the latter’s PGA Tour-record 82 victories.
Scottie Scheffler shared in his Memorial Tournament triumph with host and golfing great Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus can see the comparisons. “He reminds me so much of the way I like to play,” he said after watching Scheffler’s four-shot victory.
“I don’t think I played nearly as well as he played. He’s playing better than I played and more consistent. He’s just been playing fantastic, and I love watching him.”
Nicklaus added on Scheffler: “He has the ability to bring his level to whatever level it needs to be.
“That’s what good players do. And he’s not a good player, he’s a great player. Look at the record that he has had the last few years, it’s unbelievable.”
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Scottie Scheffler reflects on his Memorial Tournament victory and how important his family support was towards the win.
Scheffler took a one-shot lead into the final day at Muirfield Village and never relinquished top spot in his final-round tussle with Ben Griffin, the world No 1 carding a two-under 70 to close out victory.
Griffin played alongside Scheffler and was within a shot for large sections of the final round, only to double-bogey his penultimate hole and finish four strokes back, with Sepp Straka in third and Nick Taylor fourth.
Ben Griffin was looking for a third PGA Tour victory in six weeks
“Great players are ones who rise to the occasion and ones who know how to play coming down the stretch in important events,” Nicklaus said
“Ben Griffin’s a nice player, Sepp Straka is a nice player, Nick Taylor is a nice player. Those were all the guys that were there basically coming down the stretch, but he [Scheffler] knows that those guys are not in his league.”
Davies: Scheffler’s greatness is indisputable
Sky Sports’ Dame Laura Davies – a four-time major winner in the women’s game – was also full of praise for Scheffler, adding weight to the Nicklaus comparisons.
Asked whether Rory McIlroy – having clinched a career Grand Slam at The Masters earlier this year – was more reminiscent of Tiger and Scheffler of Nicklaus, she said: “That’s a great analogy. That’s exactly how it seems.
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Scottie Scheffler admitted he felt privileged to be able to share Rory McIlroy’s Masters joy with his friend.
“It’s more fun watching Rory win, and obviously it was more fun watching Tiger win, but the greatness is indisputable.
“I know he [Scheffler] has to do this for a lot more years to get into the realms of that, but you have to start somewhere.
“Whether he wants to sustain it for 18, 19 more years, we’ll have to wait and see, but what a story is unfolding.
“Rory threw down the gauntlet, didn’t he, when he won the Grand Slam, but Scottie has just kicked on and won more tournaments. It’s amazing stuff.
“We tried to talk people up this week, but in the back of your mind you’re thinking, ‘there’s only one winner here.'”
What’s next?
The PGA Tour heads to Ontario for the RBC Canadian Open, where Robert MacIntyre returns as defending champion and Rory McIlroy is back in action for the first time since the PGA Championship. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 11.45am on Sky Sports+ ahead of full coverage from 8pm on Sky Sports Golf.
Scheffler takes a week off before heading to the US Open at Oakmont, live on Thursday June 12 from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
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