McKINNEY, Texas — Scottie Scheffler cradled his year-old son Bennett — the rationale he missed his beloved hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson in 2024 — and struggled to maintain his feelings in test for a TV interview, simply as he did a couple of minutes later through the victory speech.
The highest-ranked participant had time to organize for the second due to the large lead he took into Sunday’s closing spherical, and he even added a bit drama by chasing the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring report.
Scheffler matched that mark of 253 set by Justin Thomas on the 2017 Sony Open and equaled six years later by Ludvig Åberg on the RSM Traditional, closing with a 63 to complete at 31 underneath par.
The runaway victory got here 11 years after his PGA Tour debut on the Nelson as a highschool senior, and 22 years after a photograph was taken of then-6-year-old Scheffler with the event namesake.
Scheffler could not assist however take into consideration that day in 2014, when his now-wife, Meredith, was his girlfriend — not but the mom of their first baby — and sister Callie, now a mom of two, was his caddie.
“My household was all capable of be right here, and it was simply actually, actually particular recollections, and I feel at instances all of it comes crashing right down to me directly,” Scheffler mentioned. “Now we have a whole lot of nice recollections as youngsters coming to look at this event. I simply dreamed to have the ability to play in it, and it is extra of a dream to have the ability to win it.”
Scheffler was in place to interrupt the tour scoring report earlier than a flubbed chip that led to bogey on the par-3 seventeenth gap and a par from a greenside bunker on the par-5 closing gap. His 8-foot putt for birdie and the report slid by the left facet of the outlet.
Hideki Matsuyama has the bottom rating in relation to par this season, 35 underneath on the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua.
Scheffler tied the 54-hole Nelson report with an eight-shot lead, and no one received nearer than six through the closing spherical. Erik van Rooyen of South Africa matched Scheffler’s 8-under 63 to complete at 23 underneath, three photographs forward of Sam Stevens and 4 forward of one other hometown favourite, Jordan Spieth.
“We spoke final night time, and I instructed you it was going to be a steep mountain to climb, and it was,” van Rooyen mentioned. “Scottie was virtually flawless, which is form of what you anticipate from the world No. 1. Actually proud with the golf I performed.”
Scheffler and Spieth completed with the 2 lowest rounds of the event. Scheffler opened with a 10-under 61 on Thursday on the defenseless par-71 TPC Craig Ranch in a suburban group about 30 miles north of Dallas.
Spieth shot 62 within the closing spherical, figuring out his buddy and fellow Texas alum was about to turn into the primary of the pair to win the occasion they each cherish.
Spieth was the primary to make his tour debut on the Nelson, 4 years earlier than Scheffler. On prime of that, Spieth contended as a 16-year-old in 2010, main many to imagine he would have received it by now.
Scheffler stole these bragging rights.
“I feel I am going to take it simple on him,” Scheffler mentioned with a chuckle.
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Spieth performed with Scheffler the primary two days and was 12 photographs behind him going into the weekend, so he understands how issues have modified. They began the event with 13 PGA Tour wins apiece. Now, Spieth trails for the primary time.
“It wasn’t that way back I used to be undoubtedly higher than him, and now I am undoubtedly not proper now,” mentioned Spieth, a three-time main champion. “I hate admitting that about anyone, however I simply watched it these first two rounds, and, like, I’ve received to get higher. It’s extremely inspiring.”
It was the primary victory this 12 months for Scheffler after he received 10 instances earlier than Could within the earlier three years mixed, together with two Masters victories.
Scheffler’s earlier greatest Nelson end was a tie for fifth in his most up-to-date look two years in the past. He is the primary wire-to-wire Nelson winner since Tom Watson 45 years in the past.
“I am not jealous of him profitable this occasion over some other,” Spieth mentioned. “I am jealous of anybody that wins any week. When Scottie wins, I am blissful. It does not matter the place it’s. If I am not going to win, I like when he wins.”
Scheffler beat the earlier Nelson scoring report of 259 set by Steven Bowditch in 2015. That event was performed on the TPC 4 Seasons. Usually a par 70, that course had a par-69 structure the ultimate three days when heavy rain compelled officers to transform a par 4 right into a par 3. Bowditch completed 18 underneath.
The margin of victory was the second largest on the Nelson behind Sam Snead’s 10-shot win in 1957, when it was referred to as the Dallas Open Invitational.
“This can be a golf course the place you possibly can form of make a run, and I knew that I could not simply coast to the end line in the present day,” Scheffler mentioned. “I knew I needed to put collectively spherical.”
Due to heavy rain Wednesday and Friday, gamers have been allowed to raise, clear and exchange their golf balls within the fairway for the primary three rounds, however not within the closing spherical. Aberg had so-called most popular lies through the first rounds on the 2023 RSM Traditional.
