As compared, it felt as if there could be valuable little romance at East Lake in Atlanta, the place Scheffler landed the $25m (£19m) play-off bonus. He gained as a result of his season-long performances gave him a handicapped head begin.
Collin Morikawa was truly 22 beneath par for the week in Georgia and Sahith Theegala 21 beneath in contrast with Scheffler’s 20-under complete. However with the world primary beginning on an arbitrary 10 beneath, whereas Morikawa was at 4 beneath on Thursday’s opening tee, he proved a snug winner.
It’s a truthful reflection of the season, the place he gained six different PGA Tour occasions, together with his second main, plus Olympic gold.
However, the artifice of the season finale is aggravating, as are the outrageous sums of cash concerned. Scheffler’s on track earnings totalled £47.4m in 2024, equating to £9,282 for each shot he hit or £631,370 for each match performed.
It’s removed from golf’s most tasty trait and it was fascinating and refreshing that none of Scheffler’s submit spherical feedback made point out of the extraordinary revenue generated by this newest success.
He did, although, speak concerning the trophy – one which had eluded him within the earlier two years regardless of beginning each of these concluding Tour Championships in pole place.
“My objective to start out the week was simply to have the proper angle and use what I really feel like is my finest power, and that is my thoughts,” Scheffler stated.
It’s clear that it’s the competitors slightly than monetary reward that drives this extraordinary golfer. And it was this spirit that, truly, made the ultimate spherical such an enticing watch.
A wild drive on the seventh and a shank out of a bunker on the subsequent opened up the match. The chasing Morikawa was in with a shout.
However caddie Ted Scott’s pep speak to the ninth tee reset the narrative. Scheffler fired an excellent tee shot into the par-three inexperienced for the primary of three successive birdies earlier than an eagle on the 14th.
It was the stuff of a champion of uncommon high quality – maybe not deserving of such absurd monetary rewards, however definitely worthy of of giant respect.
Scheffler is the undoubted participant of the 12 months. This regardless of Open and US PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffle touchdown yet one more main than the Masters winner.
And whereas we’re shelling out accolades, we must always mark the exceptional job finished by Catriona Matthew, the primary skilled to captain the GB&I Curtis Cup staff.
Two years in the past, the US gained by 15½-4½ in a drubbing that posed a query over whether or not the opposition going ahead ought to absorb the entire of Europe.
Matthew, who has led the continent’s execs to 2 Solheim Cup successes, fostered an indomitable staff spirit. “What a frontrunner,” Karen Stupples, certainly one of her assistants, advised me.
“She comes over all laid again however inside Catriona is as powerful a competitor as they arrive. She knew the ladies, one of the best mixtures, the order to ship them out. She was good.”
All of this was stated with tears within the eyes of the previous professional turned commentator, who gained her Ladies’s Open title on the identical Sunningdale venue twenty years in the past.
Matthew is of course understated, all the time the primary to take a step again and go away the glory to her gamers. Each certainly one of them contributed to the scoreboard of their thrilling 10½-9½ triumph, with Irishwoman Sara Byrne going unbeaten.
“Clearly fairly a number of of them (Byrne included) will flip professional,” Matthew advised BBC Sport. “So the way forward for ladies’s professional golf is wanting actually good,
“However I believe simply the keenness and the need they needed to win once they’re not taking part in for any cash is simply unbelievable to see. The crowds actually acquired into it and we had large crowds for this occasion.”
Dimmock performed within the Curtis Cup defeat of 2014 and since turning professional a 12 months later, had solely gained as soon as. However final Sunday she got here by way of a sudden loss of life play off towards Pauline Roussin-Bouchard to say the Ladies’s Irish Open at Carton Home.
The Englishwoman with Irish roots has battled again from a profession threatening thumb harm.
“I’m pleased with myself,” she stated after gathering a winner’s cheque for £50,500. “There’s loads that goes into getting me again match. There’s lots of blood, sweat and tears.”
Denmark’s Norgaard was equally emotional along with his British Masters victory on the DP World Tour – his first skilled triumph. “It is laborious to place into phrases as a result of it means a lot,” he stated having sobbed by way of a tv interview.
“I’ve had such a sluggish profession however all the time changing into a bit of bit higher yearly. I’ve not gained on Problem Tour and I would not gained something right here, after which profitable this match is kind of, fairly particular.”
Fairly the understatement, however a message consistent with a {golfing} weekend the place the wonderful pursuit of victory trumped every part.
