Vacationers: Scottie Scheffler wins one other jacket; 5 takeaways

The Vacationers Championship in Connecticut all the time delivers, and this yr’s version echoed that sentiment as soon as once more.

Scottie Scheffler gained his sixth occasion of the yr, turning into the primary participant since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win six PGA Tour occasions earlier than July 1 in a season. The win marks Scheffler’s fourth Signature Occasion title, alongside together with his spectacular victories at TPC Sawgrass and Augusta Nationwide.

However in contrast to his 5 prior wins in 2024, Scheffler wanted to prevail in a playoff this time round. He defeated Tom Kim on the primary playoff gap—the par-4 18th. Kim dunked his strategy into the greenside bunker as his ball nestled in a buried lie. Scheffler, in the meantime, stuffed his second shot to 11 toes, which all however secured the title.

The 22-year-old Kim couldn’t stand up and down, and Scheffler lagged his putt subsequent to the opening—a contemporary cup due to the chaos that ensued on the 18th gap in regulation. Minutes earlier than, protestors invaded the inexperienced, spraying colourful substances all around the placing floor and leaving marks in all places. Consequently, the PGA Tour’s agronomy group needed to minimize a brand new pin location for the playoff: 11 steps on and 5 from the best. The interruption paused play for quarter-hour.

Then, after police had subjugated the trespassers, Kim rolled in a 10-footer for birdie to drive a playoff with the top-ranked participant on this planet, who additionally dubs as considered one of his finest buddies. It produced a surreal second at TPC River Highlands, one which each gamers will quickly not overlook.

Photograph by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photos

5 Takeaways from Vacationers Championship:

1. It’s Scottie Scheffler’s world

Scottie Scheffler bounced again with a vengeance after his worst efficiency of the season on the U.S. Open. He carded two rounds of 64 and a pair of 65s to complete at 22-under par in regulation, seven days after posting 7-over. Scheffler was locked in all week, primarily on account of a putter that rebounded properly after a brutal week at Pinehurst No. 2.

The 2-time Masters champion gained 2.540 strokes with the putter in Connecticut, good for sixteenth on this restricted discipline. To assist put that in perspective, Scheffler misplaced 1.51 strokes to the sphere final week, rating 71st of 74 gamers who made the minimize.

Granted, TPC River Highlands pales compared to No. 2 because it pertains to inexperienced complexes and total issue. However to win at this golf course, you need to shoot 4-or-5-under daily to have a stable likelihood to win.

“You’ve gotten an off day; unexpectedly, it’s a lot more durable to catch up,” Scheffler mentioned.

Photograph by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photos

“I really feel like generally on the more durable golf programs, you’ll be able to faux it round a bit of bit for a day or two and cling round and cling, however generally these golf programs once they’re a bit of bit softer and never as demanding, there’s all the time lots of birdies, simply because the fields out listed here are so deep, and when you get behind, it may be more durable to catch up.”

Scheffler made the putts when he wanted to and did not make a single mistake down the stretch. He appeared unflappable for all 4 days, but Scheffler burned a number of lips on the again 9 on Sunday. Think about if a pair extra of these putts had fallen.

Now, he’ll take three weeks off to relaxation and recuperate earlier than The Open Championship at Royal Troon, main lots of Scheffler’s fellow professionals to breathe a sigh of reduction.

2. Tom Kim is right here to remain

Kudos to Tom Kim, who introduced the World No. 1 to the brink on Sunday in Connecticut. Kim held a chunk of the lead on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, a powerful feat at any PGA Tour occasion—not to mention the eighth consecutive one you will have performed.

He didn’t have his finest stuff with him early, as his even par 35 on the entrance 9 mirrored that. Regardless of that, Kim performed spectacularly on the again 9. He obtained an enormous enhance of momentum on the par-4 tenth, the place he knocked his strategy to 9 toes and subsequently drained the putt for birdie.

Three extra birdies for Kim adopted, none extra vital than the one on the 72nd gap. However Kim additionally took benefit of the scorable holes on the again 9: the par-5 thirteenth and the drivable par-4 fifteenth. You need to make birdie on these holes, or you’ll lose strokes to the sphere. Look no additional than Akshay Bhatia, who was within the combine however light due to lackluster pars on the thirteenth and fifteenth.

Photograph by James Gilbert/Getty Photos

Kim didn’t fade from the limelight, nonetheless. He shined in it, proving that he can tackle any participant on this planet head-on. The Seoul, South Korea native will solely get higher from right here.

“I fought arduous. I actually did. I performed very well this week,” Kim mentioned.

“I used to be actually shut, actually, actually shut, however I used to be only a shot quick. Sadly, once you’re going towards Scottie, who I do know very, very effectively, I knew that I needed to play actually good golf [on Sunday], and I felt like I did. It obtained powerful on the market with the wind, however I fought arduous. It was simply shy, however I’m taking some constructive issues going into the remainder of the season.”

Not like Scheffler, Kim will maintain the pedal to the steel on the Rocket Mortgage Traditional, the Detroit-area match that can mark his ninth match in a row.

3. Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay: shut, however no cigar… once more

At one level late within the day, you noticed Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay’s names pop up in direction of the leaderboard. Finau tied the lead at 20-under with a birdie on the fifteenth gap, whereas Cantlay crept as much as 19-under, due to back-to-back birdies on the thirteenth and 14th holes.

May this be the week for Finau, who has not gained for the reason that 2023 Mexico Open? Or might Cantlay choose up his first trophy for the reason that 2022 BMW Championship?

However their destiny was sealed on the par-3 sixteenth, which measured solely 158 yards on Sunday. The massive pond in entrance of the inexperienced, coupled with a entrance left-hole location and a devilish swirling wind, made issues practically unattainable. It turned this quick par-3 right into a bear late within the day on Sunday, rating because the second most difficult gap through the remaining spherical.

Photograph by James Gilbert/Getty Photos

Cantlay performed within the group forward of Finau and pulled his iron shot lengthy and left. It settled up towards the tough whereas sitting under the placing floor, thus making all of it however unattainable to save lots of par. A bogey there dropped him again to 18-under, as he finally tied for fifth. Cantlay tied for third at Pinehurst No. 2 final week, his finest profession end in a serious. He might be somebody to be careful for at Royal Troon, as his sport lastly seems to be in form.

Finau, in the meantime, got here up woefully quick from the tee, as his watery demise led to a double-bogey 5. He went on to tie for fifth, one week after tying for third on the U.S. Open. However, like final week, a mistake value Finau an opportunity at glory. The chipping and placing errors did him in on the thirteenth gap on Saturday, whereas a poorly struck strategy into the wind value him right this moment. At any price, Finau will likely be again. It’s a matter of when, not if, he wins once more.

4. Signature Occasions want work

We want extra gamers in Signature Occasions.

I perceive that the PGA Tour desires high gamers to compete towards the perfect, however 71 gamers should not sufficient in one of many season’s marquee occasions. At a minimal, 100 gamers have to play. An excessive amount of expertise in skilled golf exists for the PGA Tour to roll out the purple carpet for less than a 3rd of its members. Plus, golf is essentially the most random sport of all of them. Something can occur on any given spherical on any given day, so why not add to the drama and increase Signature Occasions by 30 individuals or so?

So, in 2025, when the Vacationers Championship will as soon as once more act as a Signature Occasion on the heels of the U.S. Open, I hope to see greater than 72 gamers within the discipline. 100 has a pleasant spherical quantity to it; plus, it’s not as if there’s a night-and-day distinction between the 72nd-ranked participant and the 102nd. Heck, anybody of the highest 1,000 gamers on this planet realistically has the sport to contend in a PGA Tour occasion. Simply ask ninth-alternate John Daly.

However, the Signature Occasion mannequin is right here to remain, but it surely definitely might use some enhancements. Including extra gamers who deserve a chance could be an excellent begin.

Photograph by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photos

5. TPC River Highlands: too straightforward?

As soon as once more, TPC River Highlands yielded loads of birdies and never lots of bogies. That’s fantastic for those who like surreal scoring, hoping someone wins at 30-under par. However it simply doesn’t present the leisure worth that different demanding programs do.

As Scottie Scheffler alluded to in his post-round presser, it’s nearly extra of a problem to set ‘par’ at a 5-under 65, realizing that if you don’t shoot a 65, you might be shedding strokes to the sphere. Have a look at Tom Kim, who shot a 4-under 66 because the final-round chief and misplaced—a troublesome tablet to swallow.

However at 6,835 yards, the fashionable sport has seemingly handed TPC River Highlands by. With that mentioned, this course has dedicated itself to internet hosting the PGA Tour’s finest as soon as once more in 2025 and may achieve this as soon as once more. It deserves it. The structure is spectacular, with the ultimate 4 holes all the time producing drama. And the neighborhood embraces this match like a serious championship. Plus, the hospitality for gamers, volunteers, media, and followers alike is all top-notch, a real five-star expertise.

But, we’ve got an concept: what if the Vacationers Championship turned the Northeast’s premier Signature Occasion, rotating round a bevy of high programs throughout the area? Clearly, this area has loads of capital. So, maybe Bethpage Black hosts one yr whereas Liberty Nationwide slides in throughout one other. Perhaps TPC Boston will get again within the combine. Or Aronimink in Philadelphia. Ridgewood Nation Membership in New Jersey could be one other viable candidate.

At any price, the tour has a chance to take issues a step additional relating to its Signature Occasions by rotating programs out and in. Sure, the Hartford, Connecticut neighborhood could be heartbroken to see this match depart, however the Vacationers Championship might all the time return to this space, too.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.