.Mark Schlabach, ESPN Elder WriterSep 1, 2024, 08:12 PM ETCloseSenior college football article writer.Writer of 7 manuals on university soccer.Grad of the College of GeorgiaATLANTA-- For a brief second in the last round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, globe No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler looked like among us.With the FedEx Cup and an immense $25 million benefit on the line, Scheffler had simply carded a bogey on the par-4 7th opening. He poorly hooked his tee shot to the left, as well as his sphere nearly headed out of bounds before clearing up in want straw.Scheffler had to fill in a tree to attack his second shot, then his 4 1/2- feet par putt lipped out-- his only skip inside 8 feet in 72 gaps. Collin Morikawa made the same level, reducing Scheffler's result in four shots.It would even the score smaller sized on the upcoming hole.On the driveable par-4 eighth, Scheffler's tee shot lost, landing in a main greenside bunker, about 80 feets from the hole.Somehow, the very best golf player around the world shanked his bunker shot-- his ball went dead right and stopped approximately 36 yards listed below solitary confinement. Scheffler broke to 24 feet and also required two putts coming from there for an additional bogey-- his third in 4 holes.Morikawa made an 8-foot birdie, trimming down Scheffler's lead to merely 2. It had been actually 7 after 2 gaps." Yeah, in all honesty, extremely shocking," Morikawa pointed out of Scheffler's shank. "Look, I brought in the putt as well as was 2 back, but he's not going to simply begin bring in bogeys after that. He is actually visiting carry out the contrary and he's mosting likely to start reaching golf chances. It just about carried his concentration back in for a half second, and that is actually something you can't instruct. You just either have it or even you don't." Scottie Scheffler celebrates along with the FedEx Prize after gaining the FedExCup as well as Tour Champion. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAfter some of the most awful shots of his profession, Scheffler performed what he has accomplished this frequently recent three years-- he shut the door on Morikawa and everyone else.He created birdies on each of the following 3 gaps. On the par-3 9th, he punched a 4-iron shot to 5 feet, 2 ins. His approach on the par-4 10th quit at 3 feet, at that point he drained pipes a 15-footer for birdie on the par-3 11th. Just like that, Scheffler's top was actually 5 shots once again. He included a bald eagle on the par-5 14th. Publisher's Picks2 RelatedScheffler caught his very first FedEx Cup along with a complete credit rating of 30 under (he started at 10 under as the season-long aspects innovator in the staggered-scoring layout), beating Morikawa by four strokes and also Sahith Theegala through six.It was the 3rd direct year through which Scheffler began with a 2-stroke top over every person else in the Trip Championship. Two years back, he misused a six-stroke lead in the last round as well as dropped to Rory McIlroy through one. Last year, he was actually 1 under over 72 gaps (not consisting of starting movements) and tied for sixth." I make an effort not to assume way too much regarding recent or assume way too much regarding the future, yet I think two years ago was quite hard, having a good lead entering the final round and also certainly not playing my greatest and after that shedding, and then last year I merely possessed a rather off week therefore was actually relatively unsatisfactory," Scheffler claimed. "So to follow in with a top for the third opportunity as well as have the ability to complete it off is actually most definitely quite wonderful." Scheffler participated in Leopard Forest (1999 and also 2007) and also Dustin Johnson (2020) as the only golf players to succeed the Excursion Champion while they were ranked No. 1 in the Official Globe Golf Ranking.With his 1st FedEx Cup playoffs triumph, Scheffler became merely the 4th PGA Scenic tour golf enthusiast given that 1980 to win a minimum of 7 opportunities with a learn a single period. Tom Watson (1980 ), Forest (1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007) as well as Vijay Singh (2004) were the others.Scheffler acquired a trumpet call coming from his caddie, Ted Scott, after bogeying for the second successive opportunity on opening No. 8. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesFollowing Scheffler's ordeal on the 8th hole, his caddie, Ted Scott, took him aside for a pep talk prior to his tee go on the ninth." Yeah, 9 was a substantial turnaround," Scheffler stated. "Teddy offered me a good pep talk there certainly astride eight eco-friendly since I kind of checked out him like, 'Male, I don't know about this. This isn't appearing so very hot at the moment.' He type of gave me a little trumpet call, and after that I managed to strike a truly good iron chance in there and also obtained points spinning." Scheffler decreased to reveal what Scott informed him." I am actually not mosting likely to hand out all our secrets," Scheffler stated. "Teddy has actually regularly been my greatest fan. I assume the outcomes represent themselves after he was able to get my bag and begin helping me. He definitely is a huge component of the staff. I don't know if I would certainly manage to perform any one of this without him on my bag. Our team've received a great connection." He possesses a behavior of pointing out the best point at the right time to sort of maintain me in the right mindset." Scheffler's 2024 period will certainly be actually born in mind as one of the most ideal in golf history. Each of his victories happened against elite areas in 4 signature events (Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Ancestry, Remembrance Competition and also Travelers Champion), Athletes Championship, Expert as well as the Excursion Championship.Last month, the 28-year-old from Texas added a gold award at the Olympics in Paris. Scheffler isn't certain why the Olympics isn't being counted in his triumph total by the PGA Tour." I don't presume individuals understand exactly how hard that is to carry out, when you are actually counted on to succeed, when you are actually the favorite to gain, when every factor you're performing is actually being actually considered-- excellent and negative-- on the greens, and just how challenging it is to get in your personal little bit of zone and very own little planet and definitely simply peaceful the noise," mentioned Justin Thomas, that tied for 14th at 14 under." It is actually one thing that is equally as a lot of a skill-set as being able to strike a vehicle driver in the fairway or an iron on collection. He is actually precisely figured that out very well." Scheffler's excellent 2024 season featured a gold award at the 2024 Paris Video games. ( Picture through Andrew Redington/Getty Images) En route, Scheffler accumulated around $62.2 thousand in on-course profits and season-long bonuses.Even much better, Scheffler and his other half, Meredith, invited their first little one, Bennett, on May 8." I believe that I've resided almost a complete lifetime in this particular one year," Scheffler mentioned. "It is actually been actually almonds." Scheffler's 7 success came in only 19 beginnings. He was actually a second best twice and possessed top-10 finishes in each yet 3 of his begins and no missed out on cuts.Woods' 2000 time is actually looked at one of the best in past-- he captured three of his 15 primary championships through 24 shots integrated and also succeeded 9 opportunities general in twenty beginnings. He was actually runner-up four opportunities. Tiger gained regarding $9.2 million that year.About the only thing that reduced Scheffler down over the past eight-plus months was the Louisville police who detained him adhering to a visitor traffic case outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Nightclub in Kentucky before the 2nd round of the PGA Championship.Top accounts of the full week coming from Acquire special access to thousands of costs write-ups a year coming from leading article writers. u2022 CFB: Week 1 sneak peek with best 25 games "u2022 Who are actually X aspects for all 32 NFL staffs? "u2022 Move value of this particular opening maintains rising" Even more ESPN+ information ".Amazingly, Scheffler uploaded a 5-under 66 a couple of hrs after he was released coming from jail. He appeared to lose ground on the weekend and also linked for eighth. Louisville prosecutors dropped Scheffler's costs on May 29." I think his congruity, his attitude," said McIlroy, that tied for 9th at 16 under. "I believe that he simply kind of carries the very same attitude to the training program every single day, no matter what placement on the leaderboard he resides in. He's only remarkable to just view the means he manages himself all around the fairway. Yeah, our team'll reflect on 2024 as well as it's definitely one of the greatest personal years that a gamer has actually had for a very long time." Scheffler's victory at East Pond ought to end any controversy regarding who's the PGA Trip player of the year. Xander Schauffele possessed a debate after succeeding his initial 2 majors at the PGA Champion and The Open.Even Schauffele admits everybody else is actually still chasing after Scheffler." I presume due to the meaning of prominence, I believe that is actually literally where he's sitting," Schauffele stated. "I don't understand the number of weeks he is actually been No. 1 player around the world. Considering that I've been actually out, I assume Dustin had a run, Brooks [Koepka] possessed a run, Jon [Rahm] had an operate, Rory possessed an operate. They were actually sort of punching to and fro between 1, 2 and 3. Scottie has just gone to the tip-top of the mountain range for, what, pair of total years now it seems." Scheffler doesn't seem to be all set to find down anytime very soon, either.