Scottie Scheffler of Texas, the world’s No. 1 pro golfer, shot a four-under par 68 today to win the Hero World Challenge at Albany, Bahama, by three strokes over Austria’s Sepp Straka with a 20-under par 268 total. Scheffler dominated the field from tee-to-green with his long, accurate driving, towering long iron shots, and deft touch around and on the greens. He finished second in this tournament both of the last two years.
This year has not been kind to Scottie Scheffler in putting. The usually master stroker on the carpets missed so many short putts to keep him out of the winner’s circle since his last win early this year at the Players Championship. In fact, he had an astounding 17 top ten finishes this year, with only two wins.
Tiger Woods played this week for the first time in many months as he continues to recover physically from his near fatal car crash almost two years ago as well as various surgeries. Although Tiger shot even par and finished near the bottom of this elite and limited field of twenty PGA Tour pros, Tiger said he was happy with his physical progress, even with his game, and was looking forward to competing on the PGA Tour perhaps about one tournament per month next year, all geared around the four majors.
I thought Tiger’s swing look great. If he can continue to heal and get back his putting accuracy and superb management of his game, for which he is known so much and now lacks, I think The Tiger could return to the winner’s circle again on the PGA Tour.
In Tiger’s televised interview after the round today, he repeatedly said he needs to “get back in better shape.” WHAT! I don’t know what the heck he’s talking about! Tiger always looks like he’s in fantastic, physical shape, yet never more than he is right now. The guy looks like he spends half of every day in the gym, vigorously lifting weights. He’s got a muscled upper body, slim waist, and hardly an ounce of fat on that frame. When he says that, I feel like a couch potato! Yet I usually work out with weights in the gym three or four days per week and get in a little cardio. Listening to, and looking at, The Tiger, I guess I need to step up my game.
Tiger’s next tournament will be the PNC Championship in two weeks in which he partner’s with his son Charlie. It’s a fun tournament to watch, in which PGA Tour stars, some of yesteryear such as Lee Trevino, who play with a relative in this team event.
[Note: I’ve blogged often that Scottie Scheffler is a prominent member of the PGA Tour Bible Study who often shares publicly about his evangelical, Christian faith.]
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