Scottie Scheffler further cemented his reputation as golf’s most “inevitable” force on Sunday, claiming a dramatic comeback victory at the BMW Championship with a touch of brilliance on the penultimate hole.
The World No. 1 pitched in from 82 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th at Caves Valley Golf Club, securing a two-shot win over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre. Scheffler’s final-round 3-under 67 saw him finish at 15-under-par 265 in the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
It marked Scheffler’s fifth PGA Tour win of the season and the 18th of his career, all of which have come since February 2022. His win also extended a remarkable streak of top-eight finishes, now at 13 consecutive events, matching a record set by Tom Weiskopf in 1973.
Scheffler’s steady play stood in stark contrast to MacIntyre, who entered the final round with a four-shot lead but stumbled to a 3-over 73. After carding just three bogeys across the first three rounds, the Scot matched that total within the opening five holes on Sunday, opening the door for Scheffler.
The decisive moment came at the 17th, where both players missed the green. Scheffler, playing without regular caddie Ted Scott (who was away for personal reasons), delivered a perfectly judged chip that trickled across the green and into the hole after a suspenseful 12-second roll.
“It was a chip we practiced,” Scheffler said. “I knew how fast it was, and basically it was just trying to get it on the greem. It started looking better and better, and yeah, it was definitely nice to see that one go in.”
In the absence of Scott, Scheffler turned to Mike Cromie, caddie for Chris Kirk, who he praised for his calm presence.
“He’s not a guy that’s going to overreact to anything,” said Scheffler. “He did a really good job of just staying even keel all week and he did a really good job.”
With the Tour Championship up next in Atlanta, Scheffler will enter as the firm favourite to defend his title.
“It’s been a nice stretch the last few years and I’ve done some really good things,” Scheffler reflected. “It’s nice to get the results from a lot of hard work. It was a battle all the way through.”
Elsewhere, Maverick McNealy surged into solo third with a bogey-free 66 to finish at 11 under. Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Burns tied for fourth at 10 under following rounds of 67 and 68, respectively.