Scottie Scheffler wins chaotic Travelers playoff disrupted by protest
Scottie Scheffler (-22) outlasted Tom Kim to win the Travelers Championship in a wild finish that included a protest on the 18th green before a sudden-death playoff. With the victory, Scheffler became the first golfer since Arnold Palmer (1962) to win six events in a PGA Tour season before July, and the first to win six events in a season since Tiger Woods.
Scheffler and Kim, both Dallas residents, are close friends and frequent practice partners.
“I had so much fun out there,” said Kim, who led after the first three rounds. “Felt like a practice round with him. … It’s almost like we’re just at home but we just have hundreds of thousands of people on the golf course.”
Kim entered Sunday one stroke up, but the World No. 1 never gave the 22-year-old a moment to breathe. Scheffler carded five birdies and no bogeys en route to a final round 65. He lost strokes with his putter, but gained it back by hitting 11 of 14 fairways.
For the week, Scheffler was 16th in putting, third in driving accuracy and sixth on approach. He hit the second-highest rate of greens in regulation.
On the 72nd hole, Kim nearly sent the Travelers patrons into a frenzy when his approach from 131 yards almost cashed. Instead of a walk-off eagle, he was left with a 10-yarder for birdie. Scheffler’s approach (somehow) stopped on the edge just off the the high side of the green. An improbable make from Scheffler would clinch the tournament, as would a miss from Kim. (Two holes earlier, Kim had failed to capitalize on a Scheffler error by tentatively leaving a birdie putt short.)
NEARLY JARS IT!
Trailing by one, Tom Kim will have 10 feet for birdie at the last. pic.twitter.com/RJWO0Qd7uS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2024
As the amphitheater overflowed with bodies and anticipation as Kim, Scheffler (and Akshay Bhatia) lined up their putts, five climate protestors with spray cans charged the green at TPC River Highlands. The golfers stepped aside as Cromwell police sprung into action and subdued the disturbance. (“U.S.A.”! chants broke out on the 18th hole for the second straight Sunday.)
“I was scared for my life,” said Bhatia. “I didn’t even really know what was happening. All of a sudden, four, five people come out running on the green. Yeah, I mean, it was kind of weird. But thankfully the cops were there and kept us safe, because that’s weird stuff.”
After the stoppage, the competitors refocused — only now with remnants of red and white paint in their POVs. Scheffler hit a superb roll that came up just short. Kim nailed his 10-footer, setting up a playoff.
“He should remember that putt he made on 18 because it was pretty special and he’s a great player and a great champion,” said Scheffler. “He’s got a habit of making those putts when it really matters. I think of a guy that young already winning three times out here and being the way that he is in the Presidents Cup. He’s got the right attitude to play out here for a long time and he’s only 22, which is just nuts.”
Needed it, got it!!
Tom Kim makes birdie while Scottie Scheffler makes par.
A playoff will determine the winner @TravelersChamp. pic.twitter.com/Oo4EyqixDE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2024
The players turned in their scorecards, the green was cleaned up and a new pin location was improvised (moved up, away from the damage). The practice pals headed to replay the 440-yard par-4 18th, tied at 22-under.
“Fortunately for Tom and me, we were both out there, we’re great friends, and so we were able to sit there and kind of relax each other, because you don’t really know what’s going on, you don’t really understand the situation,” said Scheffler. “There’s people running around everywhere and you don’t really know what’s going to happen.”
Kim found the fairway; Scottie matched. Going with pitching wedge from 152 yards out, Scheffler stuck his approach to about 10 yards, placing the pressure right back on the kid. Kim overspun his loft wedge, leaving a fried egg in the bunker.
“In regulation, I had the same kind of shot where I just needed to smash a wedge when the wind was up,” recounted Kim. “And the difference between regulation and the playoff was, as soon as I hit it the wind died, and a slight mishit and unfortunately plugged ball. And when that happens you can do anything about it.”
Kim’s hail-mary chip scooted by the flag.
“But other than I’m going to definitely look at this week as a positive, it’s my best finish of the year.”
Scottie throws it in close, and Tom Kim finds the bunker on the first playoff hole. pic.twitter.com/HT0CJj5TgE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2024
Scheffler won four of the PGA Tour’s eight Signature Events in 2024 — the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial, and the Travelers, each carrying a $3.6 million payout for first place out of an elevated $20 million purse. Signature events feature more exclusive, top-heavy fields.
Scheffler also won the Players Championship — carrying a record $25 million purse — and the Masters. He’s earned $27.7 million on the PGA Tour in 2024 (Xander Schauffele, is next, at $15 million).
“I’m really happy for him,” said Kim. “I know it’s his sixth win for the season and it hasn’t happened since Tiger. As much as I love him, I would have loved to take that away from him, but I’m happy for him and after I tapped out, after he tapped out, he said some really nice words and it meant a lot to me.”
“It’s a great season. It’s pretty special,” said Scheffler. “Tom played his heart out today. He’s a great player, a great champion. It was fun battling him today.”
The post Scottie Scheffler wins chaotic Travelers playoff disrupted by protest appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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