Scheffler wins PGA Tour Memorial

Scottie Scheffler emerged victorious at the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament, clinching his fifth title of the year with a nail-biting one-shot victory finish against Collin Morikawa. 

With a final five-foot putt, Scheffler sealed the win at Muirfield Village, Ohio, becoming the second player in history, after Tiger Woods, to claim victories at the Players Championship, the Masters, and the Memorial in a single year.

Scheffler started the final round as the overnight leader and faced intense pressure from his challengers, including Morikawa, Adam Hadwin, and Sepp Straka. 

The challenging conditions at Muirfield Village, known for its firm and fast greens, made scoring difficult. Scheffler’s lead was cut to two strokes by the turn, with Hadwin starting strong with three birdies in his first seven holes. However, Hadwin’s momentum faltered as he recorded five bogeys in his final 11 holes, ultimately finishing third at four under par.

Morikawa kept the pressure on Scheffler, closing the gap to one stroke with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole. The tension heightened when Morikawa bogeyed the 16th, only for Scheffler to drop a shot on the 17th, setting up a dramatic finish. 

Scheffler and Morikawa both overshot their approaches to the final green but managed to settle close to the hole. However, the world number one was the first to putt and successfully sank his shot, clinching the victory and the $4 million prize. Amid the celebrations, Morikawa then made his par putt, finishing with a one-under 71 and a total of seven under.

Speaking after the match, he said: “I didn’t do a whole lot well, but I did enough to get it done. I feel like I’ve had some close calls in this tournament. The golf course was playing so tough, firm, and fast – 16, 17, and 18 were brutal.

“But it was a fun test of golf; I like it when it gets hard.”

Scheffler’s victory at the Memorial Tournament serves as a perfect lead-in to the upcoming US Open at Pinehurst, where he is a favorite to win his third major in just two years.