.Mark Schlabach, ESPN Elder WriterSep 1, 2024, 08:12 PM ETCloseSenior college soccer author.Writer of seven books on university soccer.Graduate of the Educational Institution of GeorgiaATLANTA-- For a quick moment in the ultimate shot of the Excursion Champion at East Pond Golf Nightclub on Sunday, planet No. 1 golf enthusiast Scottie Scheffler appeared like some of us.With the FedEx Mug and a massive $25 thousand reward on the line, Scheffler had actually just carded a bogey on the par-4 7th gap. He terribly hooked his tee discharge to the left, and his ball almost went out of bounds just before settling in ache straw.Scheffler needed to fill in a plant to reach his 2nd discharge, then his 4 1/2- foot the same level putt lipped out-- his only overlook inside 8 feet in 72 holes. Collin Morikawa produced par, cutting Scheffler's lead to four shots.It will even the score smaller on the next hole.On the driveable par-4 eighth, Scheffler's tee shot lost, touchdown in a main greenside bunker, about 80 feets from the hole.Somehow, the very best golfer in the world shanked his bunker try-- his ball went dead right and ceased approximately 36 yards below the hole. Scheffler broke to 24 feets and required two putts from there for another bogey-- his third in four holes.Morikawa created an 8-foot birdie, pruning Scheffler's lead to merely pair of. It had been 7 after pair of holes." Yeah, in all honesty, really shocking," Morikawa claimed of Scheffler's shank. "Look, I created the putt and was two back, yet he's not visiting merely start creating bogeys after that. He is actually going to perform the opposite and also he's mosting likely to start reaching golf gos. It nearly carried his focus back in for a fifty percent 2nd, and also is actually one thing you can't show. You merely either have it or even you do not." Scottie Scheffler celebrates along with the FedEx Trophy after succeeding the FedExCup as well as Scenic Tour Championship. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAfter among the worst chances of his career, Scheffler did what he has done this commonly recent three years-- he closed the door on Morikawa and everybody else.He created birdies on each of the upcoming 3 gaps. On the par-3 ninth, he smacked a 4-iron try to 5 feet, 2 inches. His technique on the par-4 10th quit at 3 feet, then he drained pipes a 15-footer for birdie on the par-3 11th. Easily, Scheffler's lead was actually five discharges once again. He included a bald eagle on the par-5 14th. Publisher's Picks2 RelatedScheffler caught his first FedEx Cup with a total credit rating of 30 under (he started at 10 under as the season-long points innovator in the staggered-scoring layout), trumping Morikawa through four strokes and also Sahith Theegala by six.It was the third straight year through which Scheffler started along with a 2-stroke top over every person else in the Trip Champion. 2 years back, he wasted a six-stroke lead in the last shot as well as shed to Rory McIlroy by one. In 2015, he was actually 1 under over 72 openings (not consisting of beginning movements) and also matched for 6th." I attempt not to believe a lot of concerning recent or presume way too much regarding the future, however I think pair of years back was pretty difficult, possessing an excellent lead entering the last round and also not playing my best and after that dropping, and afterwards in 2014 I just possessed a fairly off full week thus was rather unsatisfactory," Scheffler stated. "Therefore to come belong a lead for the 3rd opportunity and manage to complete it off is actually undoubtedly pretty sweet." Scheffler participated in Tiger Forest (1999 and also 2007) and also Dustin Johnson (2020) as the only golf players to win the Trip Championship while they were rated No. 1 in the Representative World Golf Ranking.With his initial FedEx Mug playoffs triumph, Scheffler came to be simply the fourth PGA Excursion golf enthusiast due to the fact that 1980 to win at the very least seven times along with a learn a single time. Tom Watson (1980 ), Forest (1999, 2000, 2006 as well as 2007) as well as Vijay Singh (2004) were actually the others.Scheffler got a pep talk coming from his caddie, Ted Scott, after bogeying for the second consecutive time on gap No. 8. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesFollowing Scheffler's fiasco on the eighth gap, his caddie, Ted Scott, took him aside for a trumpet call just before his tee go on the 9th." Yeah, 9 was actually a substantial turnaround," Scheffler pointed out. "Teddy provided me a pleasant trumpet call there on the back of eight green because I kind of examined him like, 'Male, I don't know about this. This isn't appearing so scorching right now.' He kind of offered me a little trumpet call, and after that I was able to hit an actually nice iron go in there as well as obtained traits spinning." Scheffler dropped to uncover what Scott told him." I'm not heading to provide all our keys," Scheffler mentioned. "Teddy has constantly been my largest follower. I assume the results speak for themselves after he had the ability to pick up my bag and start assisting me. He definitely is actually a massive aspect of the team. I don't recognize if I 'd have the ability to perform some of this without him on my bag. Our company have actually got a terrific relationship." He possesses a behavior of pointing out the best trait at the correct time to kind of maintain me in the right frame of mind." Scheffler's 2024 season will be actually remembered as one of the most ideal in golf record. Each of his victories came versus elite areas in four signature events (Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Memorial Event as well as Travelers Champion), Players Championship, Professional as well as the Scenic tour Championship.Last month, the 28-year-old from Texas added a gold medal at the Olympics in Paris. Scheffler isn't certain why the Olympics isn't being awaited in his victory total amount by the PGA Excursion." I do not think individuals understand exactly how hard that is to perform, when you're counted on to gain, when you're the favorite to gain, when each and every point you are actually performing is actually being checked out-- good and also bad-- on the fairway, and how difficult it is actually to enter your personal little zone as well as own little bit of globe as well as absolutely simply silent the sound," claimed Justin Thomas, who linked for 14th at 14 under." It is actually one thing that is equally a lot of a skill as managing to hit a chauffeur in the golf course or an iron on series. He's clearly figured that out well." Scheffler's excellent 2024 period consisted of a gold award at the 2024 Paris Games. ( Image by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) En route, Scheffler accumulated around $62.2 thousand in on-course profits and also season-long bonuses.Even much better, Scheffler as well as his spouse, Meredith, welcomed their 1st kid, Bennett, on May 8." I seem like I've resided almost a full life-time within this one year," Scheffler stated. "It's been actually nuts." Scheffler's 7 success came in simply 19 starts. He was actually a second best two times and also had top-10 finishes in every yet three of his beginnings and also no skipped cuts.Woods' 2000 season is actually thought about one of the best in record-- he captured three of his 15 significant championships by 24 shots mixed and also won nine times total in twenty begins. He was runner-up four times. Tiger won about $9.2 thousand that year.About the only trait that slowed down Scheffler down over the past eight-plus months was actually the Louisville police officer who detained him adhering to a web traffic event outside evictions of Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky prior to the 2nd round of the PGA Championship.Top stories of the week from Get unique accessibility to hundreds of premium short articles a year from best writers. u2022 CFB: Full week 1 examine with absolute best 25 activities "u2022 Who are X factors for all 32 NFL groups? "u2022 Move value of the job keeps climbing" Even more ESPN+ information ".Incredibly, Scheffler published a 5-under 66 a number of hours after he was actually launched coming from prison. He seemed to be to run out of gas on the weekend break and also linked for 8th. Louisville prosecutors fell Scheffler's costs on May 29." I believe his uniformity, his perspective," said McIlroy, that linked for nine at 16 under. "I seem like he merely form of brings the same behavior to the program each and every single time, no matter what posture on the leaderboard he remains in. He is actually merely impressive to just view the way he handles themself about the greens. Yeah, our team'll review 2024 as well as it is actually certainly among the very best private years that a gamer has actually had for a number of years." Scheffler's triumph at East Pond ought to end any debate regarding that's the PGA Excursion gamer of the year. Xander Schauffele possessed an argument after succeeding his first two majors at the PGA Championship and also The Open.Even Schauffele confesses every person more is still chasing Scheffler." I presume by the meaning of authority, I assume that's practically where he's resting," Schauffele pointed out. "I do not understand the amount of weeks he is actually been actually No. 1 player around the world. Considering that I have actually been out, I presume Dustin had a run, Brooks [Koepka] had a run, Jon [Rahm] possessed an operate, Rory possessed an operate. They were type of punching backward and forward between 1, 2 as well as 3. Scottie has just gone to the great of the mountain range for, what, two complete years right now it seems." Scheffler doesn't seem to be prepared to come down anytime very soon, either.