Scotty Schaeffler, less than two months after his first PGA Tour title, will become No. 1 in the world after defeating Kevin Kesner in the WGC-Match Play Final on Sunday
Scotty Scheffler On Sunday he found himself in the same spot he had been a year ago, in a championship match at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. It just wasn’t the same. far from it.
Just 12 months ago, Schaeffler was a 24-year-old professional in his second season on the PGA Tour and without a win. It wasn’t even in the top 30 in the world golf rankings. He was defeated by Billy Horschel at Austin Country Club that day, only managing one birdie.
What a difference the year makes. Schaeffler came to Austin this week with wins in two of his last four events. He is now ranked 5th in the world and has quickly risen to become one of the dominant players on the tour. The result was different: he came out with the cup this time, and was defeated Kevin Kissner 4 & 3 for his third PGA Tour title in the past two months.
Kissner found the hard way in which Scheffler had become more mature than he had been a year earlier. How do you beat a player laughing at a bad shot? Who hits the tee well left and then fires a shot into the middle of the green to cut the hole in half, as Scheffler did in the ninth? Or who’s tossing a little chip into a bunker on a green side, only to get it out for a birdie?
At the age of 25, Schaeffler is the youngest champion in the event’s 23-year history. He is one of only six players to reach the final in consecutive years and has improved his record to 10-2-2 during two appearances. In addition to the trophy and prize of $2.1 million, Scheffler will wake up tomorrow with a very beautiful sight: his name is at the top of the world rankings.
Scotty Scheffler will become #1 in the world by winning Match Play
His rise to the top of the golf world was meteoric. Just 42 days ago, Schaeffler has not won the PGA Tour. Two years ago, he was a novice on tour. Four years ago he was still in college in Texas. He turned pro in late 2018, and his three-and-a-half-year journey to number one was the third-fastest golfer to reach the top, behind only Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth.
“I don’t really know what to say about that,” Scheffler said in his press conference after the win. “I don’t feel like it. I don’t feel like No. 1 in the world. I feel like the same guy I was four months ago, and I hope that doesn’t change.”
Schaeffler grew up in Dallas with dreams of playing on the PGA Tour. He never thought that he could reach number one. He just wanted to compete and he wanted to win. The arrangement will take care of itself.
“It’s not something I didn’t want to achieve or didn’t believe I could do. I grew up wearing long pants to practice because I wanted to be a professional golfer. That’s what I dreamed of,” he said. “Just competing here is really fun for me, and just being Being able to win trophies is very impressive. The arrangement didn’t really cross my mind.”
Schaeffler still has one degree to add to his resume. He did not win a major championship. He’ll get a chance in two weeks when he arrives at Augusta National Golf Club where the masters are playing the best golf ever in the business. His long drive, nerves of steel, and an attitude that refuses to be disturbed make him a perfect fit for Augusta.
He’s doing what he’s always dreamed of, and doing a much better job, much sooner than he could have imagined. He is the first of his generation to reach number one, beating Colin Morikawa and Victor Hofland. The awards continue to roll into Texas, and it doesn’t look like they’ll stop any time soon.
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