Scottie’s frequent sense, Bob Mac’s sundown beer, LIV rumors

Welcome again to the Monday End, the place we’re beginning to suppose this Scottie Scheffler may need an actual future within the sport. To the information!

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GOLF STUFF I LIKE

Appreciating the good things.

It’s pure to look ahead. And, I believe more and more, cultural forces have us shifting on to the following factor even quicker than ever. That’s doubly true for athletes, who’re probably impressed by some finish purpose (successful the championship, say) however as a way to get there should lose themselves within the course of. An athlete’s consolation zone is having one thing left to show, some ability but to grasp, a long way to the mountaintop left to climb. Really reaching the summit? That may be powerful to course of, in its personal approach.

That brings us to Scottie Scheffler, who gained once more this weekend, this time on the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas, his ninth worldwide victory this season. He redirected questions on what the victory meant, as he’s used to doing by now, insisting that he performs not for cash nor legacy however as a result of he enjoys the competitors. His is an aspirational outlook; when you’re in it purely for the enjoyment of successful and the love of competing, you’ll be able to absorb your victories whereas additionally looking forward to the following likelihood to contend. Bravo, Scottie.

The crossroads of accomplishment, satisfaction and successful additionally brings us to Bob MacIntyre. The 28-year-old Scotsman ended up with a fairy-tale season, nevertheless it didn’t start that approach. This was his first full yr enjoying the PGA Tour and it took time to regulate; he initially primarily based himself out of Orlando, Fla. however quickly discovered that untethering and unsatisfying. After a number of months he moved house to Oban to re-center himself.

It was proper round that point that MacIntyre, lacking house, introduced house to him. He tapped in his father Dougie as a fill-in caddie for the RBC Canadian Open and, positive sufficient, gained the entire rattling factor. Within the moments after the win I used to be struck by MacIntyre’s instincts. Whereas CBS interviewer Amanda Balionis understandably assumed he’d then faucet in for the next week’s Memorial Event, a big-money Tour occasion for which he was immediately certified, MacIntyre shook his head. He was headed house together with his girlfriend and his household to rejoice a dream come true.

Issues solely bought extra outrageous for the favored Scot when he teed it up the following month at his house open, the Genesis Scottish, held on the Renaissance Membership. MacIntyre fought off a loaded leaderboard that included Rory McIlroy and finally outdueled Adam Scott, pouring in a big-time birdie putt at No. 18 to complete off a event win he’d dreamt of so long as he may dream.

The Hero can function one thing of a bookend to the yr and is usually a superb time to ask gamers to mirror. Had MacIntyre gotten the chance to understand what he’d executed?

“I’ve not executed that but and I don’t suppose I’ll have the ability to try this till in a while in my life, to be trustworthy with you,” MacIntyre stated after a bogey-free opening spherical. “That’s simply — it’s work. I attempt to go week to week, simply try to enhance each day, each week.” Afterward in his profession, he stated, he’d have a neater time. As a competitor, that makes full sense. However as a fan of nice tales I needed a second of real-time reflection for MacIntyre, for his household and pals. Wins this particular simply don’t come alongside usually sufficient to let ’em move by.

I used to be relieved, then, to see him submit an image to social media on Monday following a seventh-place end within the Bahamas. He’s sitting on a seaside, carrying a smile and holding a beer, solar setting into the horizon behind him. Life’s good, Bob. Good on ya for taking a minute to cease and soak it in. Celebrating the good things — that’s golf stuff I like.

WINNERS

Who gained the week?

One other good week to do not forget that aggressive golf actually by no means stops.

Scottie Scheffler gained for the ninth time in 2024 — a complete that now contains seven official PGA Tour wins plus Olympic Gold and the tiger trophy handed over by Scheffler’s childhood idol, event host Tiger Woods, on Sunday afternoon. Scheffler gapped the sector by six photographs because of a bogey-free final-round 63, low rating of the day by 4. What a becoming end to a dominant yr.

Joaquin Niemann gained the Saudi Worldwide, the ultimate Asian Tour occasion of the season in addition to the ultimate Worldwide Sequence occasion. The win got here with subtext: Niemann performed two Worldwide Sequence occasions all season however completed third after which gained, which jumped him to the highest of the season-long standings. That meant he bought the LIV spot that had been promised to the collection winner however, as a result of Niemann is already on LIV, no one will earn promotion. Niemann additionally jumped again inside the highest 100 on this planet, although it’s clear he’s enjoying at the next degree than his No. 74 rating suggests.

Johannes Veerman gained the Nedbank Golf Problem in South Africa, referred to as “Africa’s main,” which attracted a robust discipline from the DP World and PGA Excursions. The American is off to a sizzling begin within the 2025 DP World Tour season, which continues this week.

And Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen gained the ultimate stage of PGA Tour Champions qualifying by eight photographs; he’ll be joined on the senior circuit by Freddie Jacobson, Mark Walker, Felipe Aguilar and Brendan Jones after they made it by at TPC Scottsdale on Friday.

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NOT-WINNERS

A number of golfers who didn’t win however nonetheless kinda gained.

Tom Kim completed second to Scheffler, one other chapter within the massive bro-little bro rivalry the 2 have developed at house in Dallas and on Tour. Whereas this wasn’t as shut as a playoff showdown on the Vacationers nor as fiesty as their Presidents Cup duel, it was an enormous step in the best course for Kim, who simply missed out on top-50 PGA Tour standing on the finish of the season however might be in advantageous type heading to 2025.

Justin Thomas confirmed out in his first event as a father; he had the 54-hole lead earlier than Scheffler steamrolled the sector however impressed with a brand new weapon — a 46-inch driver — in his bag. Thomas simply may have been on the Presidents Cup workforce and I believe he’ll proceed to indicate individuals why come the brand new yr, the place he certainly already has Bethpage Black on the thoughts.

Akshay Bhatia additionally boasted a brand new driver this week, this one a Callaway prototype that he says helps counteract his excessive out-to-in swing path. I’m, I might say, a unicorn particular person to suit as a result of my membership path is wherever from 4 to 9 proper,” Bhatia stated. “There’s simply not many guys that swing a driver like I do. Simply looking for one thing that we are able to hold the spin down nevertheless it doesn’t go left. It’s only a arduous steadiness.” To date, so good: Solo fourth on the Bahamas.

And Keegan Bradley quietly completed fifth on the Hero, exhibiting the type of type that can feed into one in every of 2025’s most assured storylines: is there any approach the U.S. Ryder Cup captain can play his approach onto the workforce?

SHORT HITTERS

Main contenders you forgot.

We mentioned this on Monday afternoon’s Drop Zone recording (subscribe on Spotify or Apple); when that publishes very first thing Tuesday I’ll submit it right here. However because the yr involves an in depth I believed it will be enjoyable to look again and see who I’d already forgotten had contended on the 4 males’s majors. Right here’s one from every:

-The Masters leaderboard was chock-full of expertise heading to Sunday’s last spherical. Scheffler led by one over Collin Morikawa, who was one stroke forward of Max Homa, who was one stroke forward of Ludvig Aberg, who was one stroke forward of Bryson DeChambeau, who was one stroke forward of Xander Schauffele. However tied with Schauffele in T6? That might be Cameron Davis, who like me lives in Washington however in contrast to me is a Tour winner, novice hypnosis fanatic and one-time Masters contender. Nonetheless, he pale Sunday to T12 as Scheffler took the air out of the event on the again 9.

-You could bear in mind two particular pairings from the PGA Championship: DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland have been the chase pack, storming ’spherical Valhalla on Sunday and making their technique to the 18th tee every six underneath par for the day. DeChambeau would go on to birdie 18 and set the clubhouse lead, which Schauffele and Morikawa have been chasing from the ultimate pairing. Morikawa couldn’t purchase a birdie whereas Schauffele finally gained the entire thing, however misplaced in that shuffle was the truth that there was one other twosome in between these teams. Shane Lowry shot one underneath par on Sunday to complete T6, whereas Sahith Theegala wanted two late birdies simply to salve a 73 that left him T12.

-On the U.S. Open, you’ll bear in mind DeChambeau main by three photographs coming into the ultimate spherical over Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and…Matthew Pavon! The Frenchman made some Sunday bogeys however did properly to hold in on a brutally powerful golf course in pressure-packed situations. He performed the ultimate six holes in two underneath par (DeChambeau performed the identical stretch in a single over, and McIlroy in three over) to complete solo fifth.

-And the Open Championship was loaded with fascinating contenders, not least of which was Dan Brown. The unheralded Englishman, who was enjoying in his first-ever main, was the first-round chief and held the lead by a lot of Saturday, at which level he double-bogeyed 18. His Sunday 74 stored him out of competition however in the home at a particularly spectacular T10.

ONE DUMB GRAPHIC

Wizards, take observe.

“I believe each one in every of our gamers would pay to play within the Ryder Cup if that’s what was requested of us,” he stated, referencing a McIlroy line concerning the occasion’s that means. “I believe it’s somewhat bit foolish for a event that makes a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to ask for the gamers to pay as properly, however I believe all of us would. I positively would.”

That individual decision appears unlikely, although huge look charges additionally wouldn’t sit significantly properly with a {golfing} public more and more exhausted by cash discuss. Scheffler’s exhausted by cash discuss, too — he insisted, once more, that he’s overpaid. However the query then turns into: if the gamers shouldn’t receives a commission from Ryder Cup income, who ought to?

ONE THING TO WATCH

How sizzling will LIV’s sizzling range get?

Final week noticed renewed rumors of Tony Finau to LIV finally shot down by Finau himself in an interview with Golfweek; his much-scrutinized Hero WD was because of a process on his knee. So now what? Now we wait as see, I assume, nevertheless it feels unlikely that any huge Jon Rahm-style transaction would happen this winter. Because of this, LIV’s greatest upcoming could be LIV CEO Greg Norman himself, who confirmed over the weekend that, whereas he’ll stick with LIV in some capability it gained’t be in his present place.

Anyway, I often slide a video in right here, so this can be a sideways shift: Right here’s the Ryder Cup doc I discussed final week. It’s so superbly shot it’s value looking forward to vibes alone. Una Famiglia:

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NEWS FROM SEATTLE

Monday End HQ.

I’ve moved into an workplace situated above a bakery. I’ve an excessive candy tooth. That is proving to be one thing of a private problem. Will hold you posted.

We’ll see you subsequent week.

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Dylan Dethier welcomes your feedback at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

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