The ‘Scottie Scheffler’ Threat to Finally Diminish; PGA Tour Pros Given Slim Chance to Close Mammoth Gap

“Even though I finished second, I felt like I was never really in it to win there. Scottie was just so far ahead.” That was Sahith Theegala after the RBC Heritage. It might read like a humble guy’s confession, but when you consider that Scottie Scheffler had a five-stroke lead with three holes to play, you understand what the one-time PGA Tour winner meant. 

But the PGA Tour pros can breathe a sigh of relief for a few weeks. You, me, and the PGA Tour pros won’t be seeing much of him till May 16, reports indicate. 

Scottie Scheffler has more important business to attend

Doug Ferguson at AP reported that the 10-time PGA Tour winner has headed home, back to Dallas. Scheffler is planning to take a long leave before the PGA Championship, deciding to spend a few weeks with his wife, Meredith Scudder. She is due sometime this week. 

So, World No. 1 is slated to miss four tournaments, starting with this week’s Zurich Classic. The 27-year-old won’t be at McKinney when the Tour stops at his home state for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Scheffler looks likely to miss the Wells Fargo Championship, the Tour’s sixth Signature event, and the Myrtle Beach Classic as well. 

Earlier, Scheffler emphasized that he would leave Augusta if news of Meredith going into labor reached him. The birth of the first child is always special, and nothing beats that for the 27-year-old. Not a major victory, not multiple PGA Tour titles. Of course, Scheffler need not worry about any of that in these three weeks. His dominance at the top of the Tour and the world is as secure as ever. 

No one threatens Scheffler enough

Scheffler has faced threats from Stephan Jaeger, Wyndham Clark, and Ludvig Aberg. Only the German was successful after Scheffler missed a five-footer at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Regardless, his presence at the top of the OWGR table looks more secure than Fort Knox.

Dan Rappaport tweeted that the gap between World No. 1 and World No. 2, Rory McIlroy, is wider than the gap between McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who is at 784. While that also speaks of the Ulsterman’s poor performance this season, it takes nothing away from the Scheffler. 

Scheffler’s adjusted scoring average of 68.743 is a stroke better than Xander Schauffele, the second-best on the Tour. The two-time Major champion is also 2,023 points ahead of the next-best, Wyndham Clark in the FedEx Cup standings. That means Clark needs at least four titles, including one at a Signature event, to catch up with the reigning Masters champion.

 “I didn’t show up here just to have some sort of ceremony and have people tell me congratulations. I came here with a purpose,” the 10-time PGA Tour winner said at Hilton Head. You can almost hear him say the same words at Valhalla.